Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke Phase 3 Trial Protocol for Intensive Infant-Toddler Rehabilitation (I-ACQUIRE)

BACKGROUND: Infants and toddlers with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke face a high risk for lifelong neuromotor impairments and multiple disabilities. Phase 3 clinical trial evidence is urgently needed to identify efficacious treatment to improve outcomes. METHODS: The I-ACQUIRE Phase 3 trial (Perinatal Arterial Stroke: A Multisite RCT of Intensive Infant Rehabilitation) is a 15-site randomized clinical trial of 2 dosages of I-ACQUIRE, a multicomponent, therapist-delivered intervention including key components of constraint-induced movement therapy compared with usual and customary treatment. The trial recruited children 8 to 36 months old with parent-reported perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, hemiparesis, good health, and no prior botulinum toxin or constraint-induced movement therapy. Central 1:1:1 randomization assigned children to High-dose I-ACQUIRE (6-hour sessions, 5 days/wk, 4 weeks), Moderate-dose I-ACQUIRE (3-hour sessions, 5 days/wk, 4 weeks), and Usual and Customary Treatment. Blinded assessments at baseline, end-of-treatment, and 6-months later include the Emerging Behaviors Scale (success defined as % with gains ≥7 points), the primary outcome for unilateral skills on the paretic arm-and-hand; and the Mini-Assisting Hand Assessment, the secondary outcome for bimanual activities. Parents also rate children's motor skills, treatment responses, and stress. Statistical analyses include 2-sample binomial tests for group differences and linear mixed regression models. The registered trial adheres to international trial reporting guidelines and has a parent council. RESULTS: This study protocol describes intervention components plus training and monitoring of treatment fidelity. The trial recruited N=216 children; 198 completed baseline assessments, and 168 (85 boys and 83 girls) qualified for the modified intent-to-treat sample. The mean age was 18.0 (SD=7.6) months. A majority had right-sided paresis (70%); 51% had seizures/epilepsy. Children varied widely in functional classification levels and parent ratings. CONCLUSIONS: The trial sets a unique high threshold for efficacy and proposes sensitivity and exploratory analyses to consider differential response patterns to treatment. If 1 or both I-ACQUIRE dosages lead to significant improvements, then Phase 3 evidence will assist in infant/toddler rehabilitation decision-making. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03910075.