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CADASILALIGNEDNCT06935578

RAre, But Not aLone: a Large Italian Network to Empower the Impervious diaGNostic Pathway of Rare cerEbrovascular Diseases (ALIGNED)

An observational study of CADASIL and CADASIL (Diagnosis), run by Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta at 17 sites in Italy.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are one leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite intensive investigations, more than 30% of strokes remain of undetermined origin. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
CADASIL, CADASIL (Diagnosis), Moya Moya Disease
How many people
500 participants
Where
17 sitesItaly
Study dates
1 May 2023to 19 May 2026
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Adults, male and female patients affected by a Rare Cerebrovascular Disease (rCVD)

Who may be able to join

  • patients with a clinical, genetic and/or neuroradiological diagnosis of rCVD (CADASIL, Fabry's disease, COL4A1, Sneddon's syndrome or Moyamoya arteriopathy), who have had at least one brain MRI study;

Who cannot join

  • na

Trial locations and contacts

17 sites in 1 country.

17 sites in 1 country

Italy17 sites

  • Ospedale Regionale Generale "F. Miulli", Acquaviva delle Fonti

    Acquaviva delle Fonti, BA

  • Fondazione Istituto G. Giglio, Cefalù

    Cefalù, PA

  • UO Neurologia degli Ospedali di Cesena e Forlì, Ospedale Bufalini Cesena ed Ospedale Morgagni-Pierantoni (Ausl della Romagna)

    Cesena

  • ASST di Cremona

    Cremona

  • Ospedale "Spaziani" di Frosinone

    Frosinone

  • U.O. Neurologia, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, La Spezia

    La Spezia

  • ASST Melegnano Martesana

    Melegnano, MI

  • ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda

    Milan

  • Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta

    Milan

  • Ospedale Luigi Sacco, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco

    Milan

  • Stroke Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano

    Milan

  • IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia

    Pavia

  • Neurologia d'Urgenza e Stroke Unit dell'Ospedale di Pescara

    Pescara

  • Neurologia Stroke Unit dell'Asst Rhodense

    Rho, Mi

  • Neurologia dell'Ospedale Sandro Pertini - ASL Roma2

    Roma

  • Policlinico Tor Vergata, UOSD Stroke Unit

    Roma

  • Neurologia PO Levante Asl 2 Savonese

    Savona

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are one leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite intensive investigations, more than 30% of strokes remain of undetermined origin. Rare Cerebrovascular Diseases (rCVDs), including heritable (i.e., CADASIL, COL4A1 syndrome, Fabry disease) and acquired conditions (i.e., Sneddon syndrome, Moyamoya arteriopathy) account for a proportion of these strokes. However, rCVDs are often misdiagnosed since clinicians are not able to recognize them. Although rare, the identification of these stroke causes is important to establish appropriate management measures, including genetic counselling, and, if available, therapy. The lack of data on phenotype and clinical course of rCVDs, given the paucity of published series, makes the diagnosis and the development of therapies challenging. Furthermore, the molecular characterization of rCVDs is still lacking, despite progresses achieved in common stroke by applying high throughput approaches as multi-omics. Since the diagnosis and care of rCVDs require adequate expertise and instrumental tools, clinical and research activities are usually reserved to few specialized centers, mostly located in the North of Italy, leading patients to expensive trips for consultations. Therefore, the creation of a clinical and research network aimed at improving the diagnostic pathways of rCVDs is highly needed to improve the number of patients with rCVDs to better define the clinical phenotype and to transfer the knowledge on rCVDs in other centers overall Italy filling the geographical gap affecting Southern Italy.

Keywords
Rare Cerebrovascular Diseases, italian network, CADASIL, COL4A1 syndrome, Fabry Disease, Sneddon Syndrome, Moyamoya arteriopathy, COL4A1/2
Medical subject headings
CADASIL, Disease, Moyamoya Disease, Sneddon Syndrome, Fabry Disease

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Describe the phenotypic characteristics of rCVD patients

    To describe the phenotypic characteristics of rCVD patients. All patients will complete a standardized neurological assessment consisting of anamnestic data collection (family history of neurological pathology, and in particular of rCVD, cardiovascular risk factors, medications taken, comorbidities, recent or previous head injuries) and a complete physical examination.

    Measured: 0-12 months

  2. Assess the natural history of disease

    To develop a new, unique, and large registry on rCVDs recruiting a large number of patients (500) , patients will be recruited by all the participating clinical centers

    Measured: 0-12 months

Secondary outcomes (3)

  1. Identify the molecular mechanisms

    Identify the molecular mechanisms underlying rCVD, targeted/quantitative approaches will validate the emerged key molecular features (e.g by transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic approaches).

    Measured: 12-30 months

  2. Identify biomarkers

    Identify reliable and usable circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis of rCVD by applying mass spectrometry-based cutting-edge technologies for an unbiased identification of differentially abundant candidates (e.g. proteins or metabolites), and for their validation and simultaneous assessment in multi-marker panels

    Measured: 12-30 months

  3. Provide the best clinical and therapeutic management

    Implement the virtual multi-specialty and multicenter rCVD case-sharing model in order to provide the best clinical and therapeutic management of the patients taken in. A team of specialists with expertise in each rCVD, comprising neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-radiologists, interventional radiologists, neuropsychiatrists, geneticists, neurophysiologists and/or psychologists, will schedule virtual monthly meetings to discuss the diagnosis and provide individual patients with the best diagnostic and management paths. A specific platform for second opinion consultations will be created by using the existing telemedicine platform.

    Measured: 12-30 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted20 Apr 2025
  2. Study start1 May 2023
  3. Primary completion19 May 2026
  4. Study completion19 May 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
500 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06935578
Sponsor's protocol ID
ALIGNED
Acronym
ALIGNED
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
2 Apr 2025
Last updated
1 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Caponnetto V, Ornello R, De Matteis E, Papavero SC, Fracasso A, Di Vito G, Lancia L, Ferrara FM, Sacco S. The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Opportunity to Improve Health Care Through a Nurse-Coordinated Multidisciplinary Model in a Headache Specialist Center: The Implementation of a Telemedicine Protocol. Telemed J E Health. 2022 Jul;28(7):1016-1022. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0414. Epub 2021 Nov 9.

    PubMed 34756108

  • Banfi C, Baetta R, Barbieri SS, Brioschi M, Guarino A, Ghilardi S, Sandrini L, Eligini S, Polvani G, Bergman O, Eriksson P, Tremoli E. Prenylcysteine oxidase 1, an emerging player in atherosclerosis. Commun Biol. 2021 Sep 21;4(1):1109. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02630-z.

    PubMed 34548610

  • Degan D, Ornello R, Tiseo C, De Santis F, Pistoia F, Carolei A, Sacco S. Epidemiology of Transient Ischemic Attacks Using Time- or Tissue-Based Definitions: A Population-Based Study. Stroke. 2017 Mar;48(3):530-536. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.015417. Epub 2017 Jan 31.

    PubMed 28143922

  • Sacco S, Marini C, Toni D, Olivieri L, Carolei A. Incidence and 10-year survival of intracerebral hemorrhage in a population-based registry. Stroke. 2009 Feb;40(2):394-9. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.523209. Epub 2008 Nov 26.

    PubMed 19038914

  • Romani I, Nencini P, Sarti C, Pracucci G, Zedde M, Nucera A, Cianci V, Moller J, Toni D, Orsucci D, Casella C, Pinto V, Palumbo P, Barbarini L, Bella R, Ragno M, Scoditti U, Mezzapesa DM, Tassi R, Diomedi M, Cavallini A, Volpi G, Chiti A, Bigliardi G, Sacco S, Linoli G, Ricci S, Giordano A, Bonetti B, Rasura M, Cecconi E, Princiotta Cariddi L, Curro Dossi R, Melis M, Consoli D, Guidetti D, Biagini S, Accavone D, Inzitari D. Fabry-Stroke Italian Registry (FSIR): a nationwide, prospective, observational study about incidence and characteristics of Fabry-related stroke in young-adults. Presentation of the study protocol. Neurol Sci. 2022 Apr;43(4):2433-2439. doi: 10.1007/s10072-021-05615-2. Epub 2021 Oct 5.

    PubMed 34609660

  • Bersano A, Markus HS, Quaglini S, Arbustini E, Lanfranconi S, Micieli G, Boncoraglio GB, Taroni F, Gellera C, Baratta S, Penco S, Mosca L, Grasso M, Carrera P, Ferrari M, Cereda C, Grieco G, Corti S, Ronchi D, Bassi MT, Obici L, Parati EA, Pezzini A, De Lodovici ML, Verrengia EP, Bono G, Mazucchelli F, Zarcone D, Calloni MV, Perrone P, Bordo BM, Colombo A, Padovani A, Cavallini A, Beretta S, Ferrarese C, Motto C, Agostoni E, Molini G, Sasanelli F, Corato M, Marcheselli S, Sessa M, Comi G, Checcarelli N, Guidotti M, Uccellini D, Capitani E, Tancredi L, Arnaboldi M, Incorvaia B, Tadeo CS, Fusi L, Grampa G, Merlini G, Trobia N, Comi GP, Braga M, Vitali P, Baron P, Grond-Ginsbach C, Candelise L; Lombardia GENS Group*. Clinical Pregenetic Screening for Stroke Monogenic Diseases: Results From Lombardia GENS Registry. Stroke. 2016 Jul;47(7):1702-9. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.115.012281. Epub 2016 May 31.

    PubMed 27245348

  • Bersano A, Bedini G, Markus HS, Vitali P, Colli-Tibaldi E, Taroni F, Gellera C, Baratta S, Mosca L, Carrera P, Ferrari M, Cereda C, Grieco G, Lanfranconi S, Mazucchelli F, Zarcone D, De Lodovici ML, Bono G, Boncoraglio GB, Parati EA, Calloni MV, Perrone P, Bordo BM, Motto C, Agostoni E, Pezzini A, Padovani A, Micieli G, Cavallini A, Molini G, Sasanelli F, Sessa M, Comi G, Checcarelli N, Carmerlingo M, Corato M, Marcheselli S, Fusi L, Grampa G, Uccellini D, Beretta S, Ferrarese C, Incorvaia B, Tadeo CS, Adobbati L, Silani V, Farago G, Trobia N, Grond-Ginsbach C, Candelise L; Lombardia GENS-group. The role of clinical and neuroimaging features in the diagnosis of CADASIL. J Neurol. 2018 Dec;265(12):2934-2943. doi: 10.1007/s00415-018-9072-8. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

    PubMed 30311053

  • Bersano A, Bedini G, Nava S, Acerbi F, Sebastiano DR, Binelli S, Franceschetti S, Farago G, Grisoli M, Gioppo A, Ferroli P, Bruzzone MG, Riva D, Ciceri E, Pantaleoni C, Saletti V, Esposito S, Nardocci N, Zibordi F, Caputi L, Marzoli SB, Zedde ML, Pavanello M, Raso A, Capra V, Pantoni L, Sarti C, Pezzini A, Caria F, Dell' Acqua ML, Zini A, Baracchini C, Farina F, Sanguigni S, De Lodovici ML, Bono G, Capone F, Di Lazzaro V, Lanfranconi S, Toscano M, Di Piero V, Sacco S, Carolei A, Toni D, Paciaroni M, Caso V, Perrone P, Calloni MV, Romani A, Cenzato M, Fratianni A, Ciusani E, Prontera P, Lasserve ET, Blecharz K, Vajkoczy P, Parati EA; GEN-O-MA study group. GEN-O-MA project: an Italian network studying clinical course and pathogenic pathways of moyamoya disease-study protocol and preliminary results. Neurol Sci. 2019 Mar;40(3):561-570. doi: 10.1007/s10072-018-3664-z. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

    PubMed 30604336

  • Bersano A, Morbin M, Ciceri E, Bedini G, Berlit P, Herold M, Saccucci S, Fugnanesi V, Nordmeyer H, Farago G, Savoiardo M, Taroni F, Carriero M, Boncoraglio Giorgio B, Perucca L, Caputi L, Parati Eugenio A, Kraemer M. The diagnostic challenge of Divry van Bogaert and Sneddon Syndrome: Report of three cases and literature review. J Neurol Sci. 2016 May 15;364:77-83. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.03.011. Epub 2016 Mar 5.

    PubMed 27084221

  • Panara V, Navarra R, Mattei PA, Piccirilli E, Bartoletti V, Uncini A, Caulo M. Correlations between cervical spinal cord magnetic resonance diffusion tensor and diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics and motor performance in patients with chronic ischemic brain lesions of the corticospinal tract. Neuroradiology. 2019 Feb;61(2):175-182. doi: 10.1007/s00234-018-2139-5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

    PubMed 30519889

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of CADASIL and CADASIL (Diagnosis), run by Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta at 17 sites in Italy.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 17 sites in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Describe the phenotypic characteristics of rCVD patients (time frame: 0-12 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06935578, which also lists 10 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Sep 2026.

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