Study	Reason for exclusion
Hakim 1984	5 patients with acute ischaemic stroke (< 48 hours of onset) given prostacyclin (2 to 10 ng/kg/min iv over 8 hours daily for 5 days) Excluded: non‐controlled study
Hoshi 1990	Patients post cerebral infarction Excluded: (i) cross‐over trial; (ii) one month post stroke, i.e. trial not acute
Isaka 1990	5 patients with carotid atheroma post ischaemic stroke Assessment of carotid platelet deposition (indium 111 scintigraphy) on TRK‐100 or placebo Excluded: (i) crossover trial; (ii) no relevant outcomes
Mizushima 1994	Patients with mixed group of diagnoses Excluded: (i) data relating to stroke patients unavailable
Zhao 1991	18 patients with acute cerebral infarction (< 72 hours of onset) given prostacyclin (2‐5 ng/kg/min iv; n = 11) versus dextran (n = 7) Excluded: (i) confounded; (ii) not randomised