Impact of Lipoic Acid Use on Stroke Outcome After Reperfusion Therapy in Patients With Diabetes (IMPORTANT)

Despite significant advances in the prevention and treatment of stroke, it is still one of the leading causes of death and debilitating disease. Unfortunately, several neuroprotective strategies have failed in clinical trials. At present, it is reported that there are no pharmacological agents with putative neuroprotective actions that have demonstrated efficacy in improving outcomes after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in humans. Previous stroke studies have confirmed that oxidative stress plays a vital role in stroke and in reperfusion following stroke. Therefore, the use of antioxidants could be a promising strategy for treating ischemia‐reperfusion injury. Alpha‐lipoic acid (aLA) is a potent antioxidant commonly used for the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPNP). The investigators previously demonstrated the neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects of aLA, mediated at least partially via insulin receptor activation, after cerebral ischemia in rats. Moreover, previous observational study of the investigators showed that patients with diabetes treated with aLA have better functional outcomes following AIS after reperfusion therapy than patients not using aLA. Therefore, the investigators investigate whether patients with diabetes treated with aLA have better functional outcomes after AIS and reperfusion therapy than patients not treated with aLA in this prospective randomized trial.