Central Baptist Hospital a Top Performer in CREST Study

LEXINGTON, Ky., May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Central Baptist Hospital (CBH) is making a significant contribution to clinical research on the prevention of strokes. CBH ranks second in the overall number of participants recruited for the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial (CREST).

Sponsored by the National Institute of Stroke and Neurological Disorders (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), CREST is a randomized clinical trial to compare carotid endarterectomy — a common operation to treat a blockage, or narrowing, of the carotid artery — with the study procedure, carotid artery stenting. The trial compares the effectiveness of both procedures in preventing stroke, heart attack and death during the 30-day period immediately following either procedure. Multiyear follow-up of individuals who are enrolled in the study also will document the incidence of stroke on the same side of the brain as the carotid artery that received the treatment.

Of the 120 hospitals throughout the United States and Canada recruiting for the CREST study, Central Baptist Hospital ranks second (as of December 31, 2006) in the overall number of participants recruited for CREST since July 2003, when the hospital was approved as a recruiting site. CBH also is tied for second place for the number of CREST participants recruited in 2006.

The CBH multidisciplinary team working on CREST includes Dr. William Brooks, neurosurgeon; Dr. Michael Jones, cardiologist; Dr. Timothy Coleman, neurologist; Dr. David Kelley, neurologist; Linda Breathitt, a registered nurse who is the primary research coordinator for the project; and Caroline Rodgers, a registered nurse who is a research coordinator for the project.

Central Baptist Hospital

CONTACT: Ruth Ann Childers of Central Baptist Hospital, +1-859-260-6254

Web site: http://www.centralbap.com/