02926nas a2200181 4500000000100000008004100001100001300042700001500055700002200070700001900092700001500111245026000126250001500386300001000401490000800411520228400419020004102703 2012 d1 aStapf C.1 aTzourio C.1 aHeritier Stephane1 aAnderson Craig1 aDelcourt C00aThe second (main) phase of an open, randomised, multicentre study to investigate the effectiveness of an INTEnsive blood pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral hemorrhage Trial (INTERACT2): Protocol and baseline characteristics of patients included in Franc a2011/12/02 a321-70 v1683 a

RATIONALE AND AIM: The INTERACT pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of the protocol, safety of early intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering, and effects on hematoma expansion within 6hours of onset of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This article describes the design of the second, main phase, INTERACT2. INTERACT2 aims to compare the effects of a management strategy of early intensive BP lowering with a more conservative guideline-based BP management policy in patients with acute ICH. This article also compares the baseline characteristics of the patients included in France with the baseline characteristics of the patients included in the pilot study INTERACT1. DESIGN OF THE STUDY: INTERACT2 is an international, prospective, multicentre, open, assessor-blinded outcome (PROBE), randomised, controlled trial. Patients with a systolic BP greater than 150mmHg are centrally randomised to either to an intensive BP lowering treatment (Systolic BP

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