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Endovascular Acute Stroke Intervention–Tandem Occlusion (EASI-TOC) study: protocol and rationale

  • George N. Mendes
  • , Grégory Jacquin
  • , Daniela Iancu
  • , Daniel Roy
  • , Michael Yu
  • , Paule Bodson-Clermont
  • , Imene Fahmi
  • , Syed Uzair Ahmed
  • , Mohammed Almekhlafi
  • , Brian Buck
  • , Marie Christine Camden
  • , Luciana Catanese
  • , Danni Diestro
  • , Robert Fahed
  • , Thalia S. Field
  • , Will Guest
  • , Christine Hawkes
  • , Michael D. Hill
  • , Michael E. Kelly
  • , Cha Ney Kim
  • Catherine Legault, Geneviève Milot, François Moreau, Alexandra Muccilli, Jeremy Rempel, Michel Shamy, Ravinder Jeet Singh, Brian A. Van Adel, David Volders, Jai Shankar, Nishita Singh, Christian Stapf, Alexandre Y. Poppe*
*Corresponding author for this work
  • Centre Hospitalier de L'Universite de Montreal
  • Saskatchewan Health Authority
  • University of Calgary
  • University of Alberta
  • Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec - Université Laval
  • McMaster University
  • University of Toronto
  • University of Ottawa
  • University of British Columbia
  • Dalhousie University
  • McGill University
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke
  • Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Toronto Western Hospital University of Toronto
  • University of Manitoba

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Patients with stroke due to symptomatic intracranial occlusion and concurrent symptomatic high-grade cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (≥70%) or occlusion constitute 15%–20% of patients undergoing EVT. The optimal management of the cervical ICA in these tandem lesions remains unknown. We hypothesise that acute carotid artery stenting in addition to EVT will improve functional outcomes when compared with EVT alone. Study design: Endovascular Acute Stroke Intervention–Tandem Occlusion (EASI-TOC) is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded end-point (PROBE) controlled trial. Adult patients with a disabling acute anterior circulation stroke (intracranial carotid, M1 or M2 segment occlusion) and salvageable brain tissue who undergo EVT within 24 h of onset, are eligible for enrolment if they have an angiographically confirmed atherosclerotic carotid tandem lesion. Patients are randomised 1:1 to acute carotid stenting or no stenting during EVT. Study endpoints: The primary outcome is the proportion of patients achieving a favourable functional outcome (mRS 0–2) at 90 days. Secondary outcomes include 12-month mRS, recanalisation, the 90-day rate of recurrent ipsilateral stroke or retinal ischaemia, the proportion of patients with ICA thrombosis, 90-day Montreal Cognitive Assessment score and quality of life. Safety outcomes include any ICH, sICH, all-cause mortality and procedural complications. Summary: Endovascular Acute Stroke Intervention—Tandem Occlusion is a pragmatic trial addressing a critical gap in the acute management of patients with tandem carotid lesions by evaluating whether acute carotid stenting provides a functional benefit over no stenting in patients undergoing EVT. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04261478.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Stroke Journal
Volume11
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2026
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • acute stroke therapy
  • carotid stenting
  • cerebral infarction
  • clinical trial
  • ischaemic stroke
  • thrombectomy

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