RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke II (CATIS-2): rationale and design JF Stroke and Vascular Neurology JO Stroke Vasc Neurol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 286 OP 290 DO 10.1136/svn-2020-000828 VO 6 IS 2 A1 Liping Liu A1 Yilong Wang A1 Xuewei Xie A1 Dacheng Liu A1 Aili Wang A1 Penglian Wang A1 Suwen Shen A1 Chongke Zhong A1 Yufei Wei A1 Tan Xu A1 Yuesong Pan A1 Yong Jiang A1 Xia Meng A1 David Wang A1 Yonghong Zhang A1 Jiang He A1 Yongjun Wang YR 2021 UL http://svn.bmj.com/content/6/2/286.abstract AB Backgrounds Increased blood pressure (BP) for patients who had an acute ischaemic stroke is associated with poor functional outcome, however the optimal timing of antihypertensive therapy is unknown.Aims We aim to compare early antihypertensive treatment to delayed antihypertensive treatment for reducing the risk of composite major disability and mortality at 3 months in acute ischaemic stroke.Design The China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke II (CATIS-2) trial is a multicentre, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoints trial that will be conducted in 100 hospitals in China. The primary outcome is the composite of death and major disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) at 3 months of randomisation. Antihypertensive treatment will be received immediately after randomisation in the early treatment group, aimed at average systolic BP by 10%–20% reduction within the first 24 hours, and achieving an average BP level of <140/90 mm Hg within 5 days. Patients in the delayed treatment group will discontinue any antihypertension medications for the first 7 days of randomisation, and will receive antihypertensive therapy achieving a BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg after 7 days.Conclusion The CATIS-2 trial will be testing the hypotheses that early BP lowering leads to improved functional outcome without any other harms, and developing clinical guidelines of the BP management for patients who had an acute ischaemic stroke.Trial registration number NCT03479554.