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Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

29 September 2026

With ischemic stroke, every minute counts. However, many patients do not seek hospital care until it is too late, for example, because symptoms are not immediately recognized or because people wake up with signs of neurological deficits. As a result, a group of patients is no longer eligible for catheter treatment. 

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Platelets: more than a band-aid

Platelets: more than a band-aid

23 September 2026

Some processes in our body might seem obvious to us. If you cut your finger, the bleeding will stop shortly and form a scab. Behind that seemingly simple process hides a sophisticated system of platelets and clotting factors. By now, we know that platelets do much more than halt bleeding: they function as information carriers and regulators of disease processes. 

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Rob Driessen

Assistant Professor

Rob G.H. Driessen studied Medicine at Maastricht University and graduated in 2006. He trained in Cardiology at Maastricht UMC+ and Zuyderland Medical Center and was registered as a cardiologist in 2013. He subsequently completed a fellowship in Intensive Care Medicine and has been registered as a cardiologist-intensivist since 2016. Since then, he has worked as a staff cardiologist-intensivist at Maastricht UMC+.

In 2017, Rob started his PhD research on sepsis, inflammation and cardiovascular complications in critically ill patients under the supervision of Prof. dr. Iwan van der Horst. He obtained his PhD in 2022 with the thesis 'Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit: from definitions to outcomes'. His subsequent research has increasingly focused on cardiovascular monitoring and cardiopulmonary interactions in critically ill patients, combining clinical data, physiological measurements and advanced monitoring techniques.

Rob is currently Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of Maastricht University and combines clinical work in Cardiology and Intensive Care with translational and data-driven research. His research interests include hemodynamic monitoring, cardiopulmonary interactions, right ventricular function, cardiovascular data science, and alarm fatigue in critically ill patients. He is particularly interested in using routinely available clinical data, physiological signals and imaging to improve monitoring, phenotyping and clinical decision-making in critically ill patients.

His current research activities include several interconnected research lines. These include the study of cardiopulmonary interactions and right ventricular function during mechanical ventilation and PEEP, cardiovascular data science and artificial intelligence using large intensive care datasets, including automated assessment of coronary artery calcification on CT imaging, and alarm fatigue and alarm management in critical care. In addition, he remains involved in research on sepsis and rapid molecular diagnostics for bloodstream infections.

Rob currently supervises several PhD projects covering these research areas, including projects on cardiopulmonary interactions and hemodynamic monitoring, cardiovascular data science in the ICU, coronary artery calcification and AI-based analysis of intensive care CT datasets, and alarm fatigue. He has also been involved in the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID (MaastrICCht) cohort, which has generated multiple publications on cardiovascular and systemic consequences of severe COVID-19.

In 2025, Rob received a Maastricht University FHML Starter Grant to further develop research on hemodynamic monitoring, cardiovascular data and right ventricular failure in critically ill patients. His overall research aim is to bridge clinical intensive care medicine and cardiovascular science by integrating physiology, monitoring, imaging and clinical data to better understand critically ill patients and improve individualized monitoring and treatment.

Rob driessen

Department of Intensive Care
P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
Room number: Level 3, room 3.C2.014
T: +31(0)43 387 29 45 or *6184

  • 2026
    • Schellens, J., Nagy, M., Hulshof, A. M., van Rosmalen, F., van Oerle, R., van Herpt, T. T. W., Alnima, T., Mulder, M. M. G., Hellenbrand, D., ten Cate, H., Driessen, R. G. H., Sels, J. W. E. M., van der Horst, I. C. C., Henskens, Y. M. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., Spronk, H. M. H., & Dutch Covid and Thrombosis Coalition (2026). Inhibition of inflammation reduces hypofibrinolysis in severe COVID-19: A nested case-control study within the MaastrICCht cohort. Thrombosis Research, 262, Article 109723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.thromres.2026.109723
    • Rossi, A., Mooi, F. J., Aydeniz, E., Timmermans, T., Heines, S. J. H., van Rosmalen, F., de Kok, J., van der Horst, I. C. C., Sels, J. W. E. M., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., Giani, M., Citerio, G., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2026). Association of right ventricular dysfunction on electrocardiogram with outcomes and ventilatory response in patients monitored by electrical impedance tomography: A cohort study. Heart & Lung, 77, Article 102706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.102706
    • Baldussu, E., Brandts, L., Pennetta, F., van Rosmalen, F., Schalkx, H. J., Smulders, M. W., van der Horst, I. C. C., Wildberger, J. E., van Herpt, T. T. W., Mihl, C., van Bussel, B. C. T., Martens, B., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2026). Coronary artery calcification is associated with reduced survival in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in the MaastrICCht cohort. Scientific Reports, 16(1), Article 10013. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40733-x
  • 2025
    • Gerardu, V. C. A., Mosch, L. K., Kloeze, C., de Kok, J. W. T. M., Herold, I. H. F., De Bie, A. J. R., Schnabel, R. M., Strauch, U., Dormans, T., Wunderlich, M. M., Bouwman, R. A., Balzer, F., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., Poncette, A.-S., Driessen, R. G. H., & Alarm Fatigue Study Group (2025). Measuring alarm fatigue in intensive care units: translation and validation of the Charité Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire. Journal of Critical Care, 91, Article 155223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2025.155223
    • Wintjens, M. S. J. N., Aydeniz, E., van Rosmalen, F., Driessen, R. G. H., Hulshof, A.-M., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., van Kuijk, S. M. J., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., MaastrICCht Collaborators, Bels, J., van de Berg, T., Brandts, L., van Gassel, R., Ghossein, M., Heines, S., de Jongh, S., van der Knaap, N., Meijs, D., ... Schellens, J. (2025). The Maastricht Intensive Care COVID Cohort: A Critical Appraisal of the Predefined Research Questions. Critical care explorations, 7(2), Article e1211. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCE.0000000000001211
  • 2024
    • Ghossein, M. A., de Kok, J. W. T. M., Eerenberg, F., van Rosmalen, F., Boereboom, R., Duisberg, F., Verharen, K., Sels, J. E. M., Delnoij, T., Geyik, Z., Mingels, A. M. A., Meex, S. J. R., van Kuijk, S. M. J., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Ghossein, C., Prinzen, F. W., van der Horst, I. C. C., Vernooy, K., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2024). Monitoring of myocardial injury by serial measurements of QRS area and T area: The MaastrICCht cohort. Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, 29(5), Article e70001. https://doi.org/10.1111/anec.70001
    • de Kok, J. W. T. M., van Bussel, B. C. T., Schnabel, R., van Herpt, T. T. W., Driessen, R. G. H., Meijs, D. A. M., Goossens, J. A., Mertens, H. J. M. M., van Kuijk, S. M. J., Wynants, L., van der Horst, I. C. C., & van Rosmalen, F. (2024). Corrigendum to Table 0; documenting the steps to go from clinical database to research dataset Journal of Clinical Epidemiology Volume 170 (2024) 111342. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 172, Article 111436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111436
    • Gerardu, V. C. A., Schoenmaker, J., Driesen, D., Schnabel, R. M., Strauch, U., den Uijl, D., Wunderlich, M. M., Poncette, A.-S., Balzer, F., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2024). Alarmmoeheid op de intensive care: ontwikkeling van een Nederlandstalig klinimetrisch instrument. De Intensivist, 32(4), 173-176.
    • Wintjens, M., Aydeniz, E., van Rosmalen, F., & Driessen, R. (2024). Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort: Retrospectieve evaluatie van de onderzoeksopzet en resultaten. De Intensivist, 32(4), 182-187.
    • de Kok, J. W. T. M., van Bussel, B. C. T., Schnabel, R., van Herpt, T. T. W., Driessen, R. G. H., Meijs, D. A. M., Goossens, J. A., Mertens, H. J. M. M., van Kuijk, S. M. J., Wynants, L., van der Horst, I. C. C., & van Rosmalen, F. (2024). Table 0; documenting the steps to go from clinical database to research dataset. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 170, Article 111342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111342
    • Aydeniz, E., Weberndorfer, V., Brandts, L., Smulders, M. W., van Herpt, T. T. W., Martens, B., Vernooy, K., Linz, D., van der Horst, I. C. C., Wildberger, J. E., van Bussel, B. C. T., Driessen, R. G. H., & Mihl, C. (2024). Pericardial Fat Is Associated With Less Severe Multiorgan Failure Over Time in Patients With Coronavirus Disease-19: The Maastricht Intensive Care COVID Cohort. Journal of Thoracic Imaging, 39(3), W32-W39. https://doi.org/10.1097/RTI.0000000000000732
    • Aydeniz, E., van Rosmalen, F., de Kok, J., Martens, B., Mingels, A. M. A., Canakci, M. E., Mihl, C., Vernooy, K., Prinzen, F. W., Wildberger, J. E., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., & Driessen, R. G. H. (2024). The association between coronary artery calcification and vectorcardiography in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients: the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort. Intensive Care Medicine Experimental, 12(1), Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40635-024-00611-0
    • de Kok, J. W. T. M., van Rosmalen, F., Koeze, J., Keus, F., van Kuijk, S. M. J., Castela Forte, J., Schnabel, R. M., Driessen, R. G. H., van Herpt, T. T. W., Sels, J.-W. E. M., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., Lexis, C. P. H., van Doorn, W. P. T. M., Meex, S. J. R., Xu, M., Borrat, X., Cavill, R., van der Horst, I. C. C., & van Bussel, B. C. T. (2024). Deep embedded clustering generalisability and adaptation for integrating mixed datatypes: two critical care cohorts. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 1045. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51699-z
    • Simons, J., Di Mauro, M., Mariani, S., Ravaux, J., van der Horst, I. C. C., Driessen, R. G. H., Sels, J. W., Delnoij, T., Brodie, D., Abrams, D., Mueller, T., Taccone, F. S., Belliato, M., Broman, M. L., Malfertheiner, M. V., Boeken, U., Fraser, J., Wiedemann, D., Belohlavek, J., ... Lorusso, R. (2024). Bilateral Femoral Cannulation Is Associated With Reduced Severe Limb Ischemia-Related Complications Compared With Unilateral Femoral Cannulation in Adult Peripheral Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Results From the Extracorporeal Life Support Registry. Critical Care Medicine, 52(1), 80-91. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000006040
  • 2022
    • Raafs, A. G., Ghossein, M. A., Brandt, Y., Henkens, M. T. H. M., Kooi, M. E., Vernooy, K., Spaanderman, M. E. A., Gerretsen, S., van Santen, S., Driessen, R. G. H., Knackstedt, C., van der Horst, I. C. C., van Bussel, B. C. T., Heymans, S. R. B., Ghossein-Doha, C., & MaastrICCht Collaborators (2022). Cardiovascular outcome 6 months after severe coronavirus disease 2019 infection. Journal of Hypertension, 40(7), 1278-1287. https://doi.org/10.1097/hjh.0000000000003110
    • Martens, B., Driessen, R. G. H., Brandts, L., Hoitinga, P., van Veen, F., Driessen, M., Weberndörfer, V., Kietselaer, B., Ghossein-Doha, C., Gietema, H. A., Vernooy, K., van der Horst, I. C. C., Wildberger, J. E., van Bussel, B. C. T., Mihl, C., & MaastrICCht Collaborators (2022). Coronary Artery Calcifications Are Associated With More Severe Multiorgan Failure in Patients With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: Longitudinal Results of the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID Cohort. Journal of Thoracic Imaging, 37(4), 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1097/RTI.0000000000000648
    • Ghossein, M. A., Driessen, R. G. H., van Rosmalen, F., Sels, J.-W. E. M., Delnoij, T., Geyik, Z., Mingels, A. M. A., van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Prinzen, F. W., Ghossein-Doha, C., van Kuijk, S. M. J., van der Horst, I. C. C., Vernooy, K., & van Bussel, B. C. T. (2022). Serial Assessment of Myocardial Injury Markers in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With SARS-CoV-2 (from the Prospective MaastrICCht Cohort). American Journal of Cardiology, 170, 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2022.01.030
  • 2021
    • Nguyen, U. C., Vernemmen, A. I. P., Segers, P., zur Hausen, A., Driessen, R. G. H., Pluijmen, M. J. H. M., & Bekkers, S. C. A. M. (2021). Case Report: An Unusual Cause for Recurrent Hemopericardium in a Patient With Dyspnea. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 8, Article 755106. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.755106
    • Driessen, R. G. H., Groven, R. V. M., van Koll, J., Oudhuis, G. J., Posthouwer, D., van der Horst, I. C. C., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., & Schnabel, R. M. (2021). Appropriateness of empirical antibiotic therapy and added value of adjunctive gentamicin in patients with septic shock: a prospective cohort study in the ICU. Infectious Diseases, 53(11), 830-838. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2021.1942543
    • Driessen, R. G. H., Kiers, D., Schalkwijk, C. G., Scheijen, J. L. J. M., Gerretsen, J., Pickkers, P., van de Poll, M. C. G., van der Horst, I. C. C., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., Kox, M., & van Bussel, B. C. T. (2021). Systemic inflammation down-regulates glyoxalase-1 expression: an experimental study in healthy males. Bioscience Reports, 41(7), Article BSR20210954. https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20210954
    • Driessen, R. G. H., Latten, B. G. H., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., Hulsewe, R. P. M. G., Holtkamp, J. W. M., van der Horst, I. C. C., Kubat, B., & Schnabel, R. M. (2021). Clinical diagnoses vs. autopsy findings in early deceased septic patients in the intensive care: a retrospective cohort study. Virchows Archiv, 478(6), 1173-1178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-020-02984-5
    • Pluymaekers, N. A. H. A., Dudink, E. A. M. P., Weijs, B., Vernooy, K., Hartgerink, D. E. J., Jacobs, J. S., Erkuner, O., Marcks, N. G. H. M., van Cauteren, Y. J. M., Dinh, T., ter Bekke, R. M. A., Sels, J. E. M. W., Delnoij, T. S. R., Geyik, Z., Driessen, R. G. H., Linz, D. K., den Uijl, D. W., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Luermans, J. G. L. M. (2021). Clinical determinants of early spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation. Netherlands Heart Journal, 29(5), 255-261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-020-01528-5
    • Kowalewski, M., Zielinski, K., Gozdek, M., Raffa, G. M., Pilato, M., Alanazi, M., Gilbers, M., Heuts, S., Natour, E., Bidar, E., Schreurs, R., Delnoij, T., Driessen, R., Sels, J. W., van de Poll, M., Roekaerts, P., Pasierski, M., Meani, P., Maessen, J., ... Lorusso, R. (2021). Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Life Support in Heart Transplant and Ventricle Assist Device Centres. Meta-analysis. Esc heart failure, 8(2), 1064-1075. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.13080
    • Driessen, R. G. H., Heijnen, N. F. L., Hulsewe, R. P. M. G., Holtkamp, J. W. M., Winkens, B., van de Poll, M. C. G., van der Horst, I. C. C., Bergmans, D. C. J. J., & Schnabel, R. M. (2021). Early ICU-mortality in sepsis - causes, influencing factors and variability in clinical judgement: a retrospective cohort study. Infectious Diseases, 53(1), 61-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2020.1821912
  • 2020
    • Kowalewski, M., Raffa, G., Zielinski, K., Meani, P., Alanazi, M., Gilbers, M., Heuts, S., Natour, E., Bidar, E., Schreurs, R., Delnoij, T., Driessen, R., Sels, J. W., van de Poll, M., Roekaerts, P., Maessen, J., Suwalski, P., & Lorusso, R. (2020). Baseline surgical status and short-term mortality after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for post-cardiotomy shock: a meta-analysis. Perfusion, 35(3), 246-254. Article 0267659119865122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267659119865122
    • Kowalewski, M., Raffa, G. M., Zielinski, K., Alanazi, M., Gilbers, M., Heuts, S., Natour, E., Bidar, E., Schreurs, R., Delnoij, T., Driessen, R., Sels, J.-W., van de Poll, M., Roekaerts, P., Meani, P., Maessen, J., Suwalski, P., & Lorusso, R. (2020). The impact of Centre's heart transplant status and volume on in-hospital outcomes following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock: a meta-analysis. BMC Cardiovascular disorders, 20(1), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-019-01317-y
    • Tas, J., van Gassel, R. J. J., Heines, S. J. H., Mulder, M. M. G., Heijnen, N. F. L., Acampo-de Jong, M. J., Bels, J. L. M., Bennis, F. C., Koelmann, M., Groven, R. V. M., Donkers, M. A., van Rosmalen, F., Hermans, B. J. M., Meex, S. J. R., Mingels, A., Bekers, O., Savelkoul, P., Oude Lashof, A. M. L., Wildberger, J., ... van Bussel, B. C. T. (2020). Serial measurements in COVID-19-induced acute respiratory disease to unravel heterogeneity of the disease course: design of the Maastricht Intensive Care COVID cohort (MaastrICCht). BMJ Open, 10(9), Article 040175. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040175
  • 2019
    • Meani, P., Delnoij, T., Raffa, G. M., Morici, N., Viola, G., Sacco, A., Oliva, F., Heuts, S., Sels, J.-W., Driessen, R., Roekaerts, P., Gilbers, M., Bidar, E., Schreurs, R., Natour, E., Veenstra, L., Kats, S., Maessen, J., & Lorusso, R. (2019). Protracted aortic valve closure during peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal life support: is intra-aortic balloon pump an effective solution?Perfusion, 34(1), 35-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267659118787426
  • 2018
    • Driessen, R. G. H., van de Poll, M. C. G., Mol, M. F., van Mook, W. N. K. A., & Schnabel, R. M. (2018). The influence of a change in septic shock definitions on intensive care epidemiology and outcome: comparison of sepsis-2 and sepsis-3 definitions. Infectious Diseases, 50(3), 207-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2017.1383630
  • 2016
    • Delnoij, T. S. R., Driessen, R., Sharma, A. S., Bouman, E. A., Strauch, U., & Roekaerts, P. M. (2016). Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Intractable Pulmonary Insufficiency: Practical Issues and Future Directions. BioMed Research International, 2016, Article 9367464. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9367464
  • 2015
    • Driessen, R., Sardari Nia, P., Roekaerts, P., & Delnoij, T. (2015). Cardiac rupture with giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm following inferior wall myocardial infarction: A rare complication. Acute cardiac care, 17(2), 33. https://doi.org/10.3109/17482941.2015.1066825
  • 2014
    • van Dongen, M., van Kraaij, D., Schalla, S., Brunner-La Rocca, H., & Driessen, R. (2014). Severe mitral regurgitation caused by eosinophilic endocarditis. Journal of Cardiology Cases, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jccase.2014.05.012
Overview