Despite an increase in the amount of published stroke recovery research, interventions have failed to markedly affect the trajectory of recovery poststroke. We argue that early-phase research to systematically investigate dose is an important contributor to advance the science underpinning stroke recovery. In this article, we aim to ( a) define the problem of insufficient use of a systematic approach to early-phase, multidimensional dose articulation research and ( b) propose a solution that applies this approach to design a multidimensional phase I trial to identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). We put forward a design template as a decision support tool to increase knowledge of how to develop a phase I dose-ranging trial for nonpharmaceutical stroke recovery interventions. This solution has the potential to advance the development of efficacious stroke recovery interventions, which include activity-based rehabilitation interventions.
A phase I–II study of gemcitabine and docetaxel in advanced pancreatic cancer: A report from the Italian Group for the Study of Digestive Tract Cancer (GISCAD)