Blass John
Department of Neurology and Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Burke Medical Research Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, USA.
Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2002 Jul;4(4):265-9. doi: 10.1007/s11883-002-0004-8.
The "gold standard" for therapeutic trials is the prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. However, they are relatively clumsy instruments for discovering innovative new treatments. This article briefly reviews selected clinical trials of treatments for stroke, including stroke rehabilitation, published during 2001 and the first 2 months of 2002. It also reviews other types of studies, including close observations of single patients, which can have a valuable role in generating useful new knowledge.
