The effect of repeated remote ischaemic postconditioning on infarct size in stroke patients.

INTERVENTION: Repeated remote ischaemic postconditioning (RIPostC): 4 cycles of ischaemia of the arm by inflating a blood pressure cuff around the upper arm at 20 mmHg above systolic blood pressure during 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. This procedure will be performed twice a day (morning and afternoon) during the complete duration of hospitalization after the ischaemic stroke. The intervention will be administered by a trained researcher. CONDITION: Stroke, Stroke, Ischemic stroke ; ; PRIMARY OUTCOME: To examine the impact of repeated daily remote ischaemic postconditioning, starting on the day of an ischaemic stroke on infarct size after 4 days or at the end of hospitalization (using MRI). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Explore the effect of repeated daily remote ischaemic postconditioning on clinical outcome after 12 weeks (using the modified ranking score; degree of disability/dependence). ; ; ; ; Assess the impact of repeated daily remote ischaemic postconditioning on validated and frequently used markers of vascular, immune, and anti‐inflammatory pathways, and relate these effects to total infarct size and clinical outcome. INCLUSION CRITERIA: ‐ Informed consent ‐ Age >18 years ‐ Clinically diagnosed ischaemic stroke using the WHO definition for stroke (“Stroke was defined as a rapidly evolving focal neurological deficit, without positive phenomena such as twitches, jerks or myoclonus, with no other than a vascular cause”).