In the historic city of Basel, against the backdrop of cutting-edge medical facilities and centuries-old architecture, the European Stroke Organisation Conference 2024 unfolded over three intensive days of scientific discourse and clinical advancement.
Day One – Wednesday, May 15, 2024: Foundations for Prevention and Acute Intervention
The grand halls of Basel’s congress centre resonated with anticipation as Professor Sheila Cristina Ouriques Martins inaugurated the conference with the PROMOTE trial findings. Her presentation demonstrated how a novel polypill strategy, combined with digital health technology, achieved remarkable cardiovascular risk reductions. She detailed the significant drops in systolic blood pressure (13 mmHg, p<0.001) and LDL cholesterol (38 mg/dl), with 71% of participants successfully engaging with the innovative Stroke Riskometer app. Professor Peter Kelly followed with the eagerly awaited CONVINCE trial results. His methodical presentation of long-term colchicine therapy in non-cardioembolic stroke revealed intriguing trends (9.8% vs 11.8%, adjusted HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.68-1.05, p=0.12), sparking animated discussions about anti-inflammatory approaches to stroke prevention.
The morning session reached its crescendo with the TASTE trial results, presented by Professor Mark Parsons. His team’s meticulous investigation of tenecteplase versus alteplase within 4.5 hours of stroke onset, involving 680 patients across eight countries, demonstrated near equivalence in outcomes (57.0% vs 55.3% achieved mRS 0-1), while setting new standards for perfusion imaging-based patient selection. The afternoon brought forth a powerful triumvirate of presentations. Dr W Taylor Kimberly and Dr Kevin Sheth jointly delivered the CHARM trial findings, their complementary expertise illuminating the complex role of glibenclamide in severe stroke (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.80-1.71). Professor Thijs followed with the PESTO trial results, methodically dispelling previous assumptions about perispinal etanercept in chronic stroke care.
The day concluded with Professor David Seiffge’s compelling presentation of the ANNEXa-I secondary analysis, demonstrating the critical relationship between haematoma expansion and 30-day mortality (HR 2.98).
Day Two – Thursday, May 16, 2024: Advanced Interventions and Clinical Implementation
Professor Craig Anderson commanded the morning session with the groundbreaking INTERACT4 trial results. His presentation revealed the dichotomous effects of early blood pressure intervention in haemorrhagic versus ischaemic stroke (OR 0.75 and 1.30 respectively), fundamentally challenging current pre-hospital care paradigms. Dr. Nyika Kruyt from Leiden University Medical Center followed with the TRUTH study findings, methodically exploring blood pressure management strategies in acute ischaemic stroke. The data sparked intense discussion about current guideline recommendations.
The afternoon sessions showcased implementation science with Dr Christopher Levi’s presentation of the TACTICS trial. His team demonstrated a 44% increase in thrombectomy access for rural populations through their innovative educational intervention. The TWIN2WIN trial results followed, revealing superior first-pass reperfusion rates with dual stent retriever technique (49% vs 24%).
Day Three – Friday, May 17, 2024: Novel Therapeutic Approaches and Systems of Care
The final day opened with the Spanish research consortium’s presentation of the REMOTE-CAT project, demonstrating potential benefits of remote ischaemic conditioning during ambulance transport. Dr Wenbo Zhao followed with the RICH-2 trial results, providing crucial data on remote ischaemic conditioning in intracerebral haemorrhage (68.1% vs 71.2% achieved mRS 0-2, p=0.69). Dr Vignan Yogendrakumar delivered the SELECT 2 analysis, his precise presentation delineating the impact of severe hypodensity volume on thrombectomy outcomes. The TEMPO-2 trial results followed, demonstrating tenecteplase’s limitations in minor ischaemic stroke with proven occlusion (75% vs 72% achieved mRS 0-2).
The conference concluded with the ASAP trial results, showcasing successful implementation of post-stroke sleep apnoea screening, with diagnosis rates increasing from 2.2% to 28.5% .
The European Stroke Organisation Conference 2024 exemplified the rapid evolution of stroke care, with presentations spanning prevention, acute intervention, and recovery phases. The conference highlighted the field’s movement toward precision medicine, while emphasising the crucial role of implementation science in translating research into practice. The diversity of presenters and approaches underscored the truly international nature of contemporary stroke research, setting new directions for future investigation. This convergence of global expertise has fundamentally advanced our understanding of stroke care, establishing new paradigms while thoughtfully challenging existing ones. The conference’s impact will undoubtedly influence clinical practice and research directions for years to come.
