Statin use after lobar brain hemorrhage

StATins Use in intRacerebral hemorrhage patieNts (SATURN)

NIH-funded research Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11518525

This trial compares stopping versus continuing statin medicine in people who had a lobar brain bleed to learn effects on repeat bleeding and future heart or stroke events.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11518525 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you had a lobar intracerebral hemorrhage and were taking a statin, this multi-center trial would randomly assign you to stop or continue your statin medication. The trial is pragmatic and open-label, but outcomes like recurrent symptomatic brain bleeding and major heart or stroke events are judged by blinded reviewers. Participants are followed for about 24 months with clinical visits, imaging (MRI for microbleeds), and genetic testing for APOE to understand who may be at higher risk. The study also tracks functional recovery, cognitive outcomes, and quality of life over time.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who had a lobar intracerebral hemorrhage and were taking a statin at the time of the bleed and are stable enough to be randomized.

Not a fit: People who did not have a lobar ICH, who were not taking statins, or who are medically unstable likely would not benefit from joining this trial.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could clarify whether continuing or stopping statins lowers the chance of repeat brain bleeding without increasing heart or stroke complications.

How similar studies have performed: Observational studies have suggested a possible link between statins and increased ICH risk in lobar ICH and in APOE ε2/ε4 carriers, but there have been no prior randomized trials directly comparing continuation versus stopping, so this question remains largely untested in randomized fashion.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Arterial Obstructive DiseasesArterial Obstructive DisorderArterial Occlusive DiseasesArterial Occlusive Disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.