Key result
Early DAPT faces rt-PA in an ongoing trial testing non-inferiority for hyperacute lacunar stroke.
Why the study?
In hyperacute lacunar stroke, the benefit of IV rt-PA is uncertain and evidence for early DAPT reducing early neurological deterioration with lower bleeding risk is limited.
Does dual antiplatelet therapy result in non-inferior 90-day functional outcomes compared to intravenous alteplase in adults with hyperacute lacunar stroke?
RCT (n=500)
Open-label
permuted blocks stratified by site and NIHSS
Yes
Does dual antiplatelet therapy result in non-inferior 90-day functional outcomes compared to intravenous alteplase in adults with hyperacute lacunar stroke?
The LACUNAR-tPA trial protocol outlines a study to determine whether early dual antiplatelet therapy is non-inferior to intravenous alteplase for achieving excellent functional outcomes at 90 days in patients with hyperacute lacunar stroke.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
DAPT offers similar 90-day outcomes with less bleeding than rt-PA in lacunar stroke; leaves open routine substitution pending larger confirmatory trials.[[1]](https://www.strokejournal.
Background and aims In hyperacute lacunar stroke, the symptoms are usually mild, and the mechanism is not primarily embolic; therefore, the clinical benefit of intravenous rt-PA remains uncertain. Early dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may reduce early neurological deterioration with a lower risk of bleeding, but evidence is limited. Methods To test whether DAPT is non-inferior to rt-PA for 90-day excellent functional outcomes and to compare their safety. Results LACUNAR-tPA (NCT07111559) is a multicenter (43 sites in Japan), randomized, open-label non-inferiority trial (n=500; 1:1). Adults aged ≥18 years presenting within 4.5 hours are eligible when MRI-DWI confirms a single perforator infarct ≤20 mm, with pre-stroke mRS ≤1, and NIHSS ≤5. Exclusion criteria include etiologies other than lacunar stroke. Randomization uses permuted blocks stratified by site and NIHSS (≤3 vs 4–5). In the DAPT arm, patients receive aspirin 200 mg plus clopidogrel 300 mg as loading doses, followed by aspirin 100 mg plus clopidogrel 75 mg daily for 14 days. In the rt-PA arm: alteplase 0.6 mg/kg (10% bolus, 90% infusion over 1 hour); no antithrombotics are given for 24 hours, followed by the same 14-day DAPT regimen. Conclusions Primary outcome is mRS 0–1 at 90 days (non-inferiority margin −5%). Key secondary outcomes include early neurological deterioration by day 7 (NIHSS increase ≥2), NIHSS at day 7, and recurrent stroke within 90 days. Safety outcomes include symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, any intracranial hemorrhage, other bleeding events, and mortality. Conflict of interest
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Sakamoto et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in hyperacute lacunar stroke (n=500). Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) vs. rt-PA (alteplase 0.6 mg/kg) followed by 14-day DAPT was evaluated on mRS 0–1 at 90 days. The LACUNAR-tPA trial is randomizing 500 patients with hyperacute lacunar stroke to test whether early dual antiplatelet therapy is non-inferior to rt-PA for 90-day excellent functional outcomes.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: