The protocol of PEARL, the third clinical observational study developed within TARGET, has now been published. 

PEARL focuses on a crucial stage of the stroke care pathway: rehabilitation. The study will investigate whether people who experience an atrial fibrillation-related stroke have different rehabilitation needs and recovery patterns compared with patients affected by other types of ischaemic stroke. 

Conducted at Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, PEARL will follow patients undergoing either high- or moderate-intensity inpatient rehabilitation. Their functional recovery will be assessed from admission through to six months after the stroke, considering mobility, independence in daily activities, cognition, communication, mood and quality of life. 

By identifying the factors associated with better rehabilitation outcomes, the study aims to support more personalised care plans and a more effective use of rehabilitation resources. 

The data collected through PEARL will also contribute to TARGET’s virtual twin technologies, helping the project develop tools to predict recovery and optimise rehabilitation pathways for patients with atrial fibrillation-related stroke. 

The publication of the protocol marks an important step towards a better understanding of how stroke cause and rehabilitation intensity may influence long-term recovery. 

👉 Read the full PEARL study protocol here.