Objectives:　To　examine　the　effectiveness　of　bilateral　arm　remote　ischemic　postconditioning　(RIPC)　on　the　rehabilitation　of　nerve　function　and　collateral　circulation　in　patients　with　symptomatic　intracranial　atherosclerotic　stenosis　(sICAS).　Setting:　Open,　controlled,　prospective　trial　(EPIC-sICAS　trial)　in　Xi＇an,　Shaanxi,　China.　Participants:　Up　to　100　sICAS　patients　(age:　18-45　years,　gender　balance)　who　fulfill　the　inclusion　and　exclusion　criteria　will　be　enrolled　and　randomized　to　intervention　group　and　control　group　(n　similar　to　50/group).　Interventions:　The　intervention　group　will　undergo　ischemia　and　reperfusion　on　both　arms　twice　a　day　for　6　months.　Primary　and　Secondary　Outcome　Measures:　Mean　changes　in　collateral　circulation　from　baseline　to　the　end　of　the　6-month　RIPC　treatment　period,　measured　by　dynamic　contrast-enhanced　magnetic　resonance　imaging,　will　be　the　primary　outcome.　Clinical　symptoms,　serum　levels　of　vascular　endothelial　growth　factor　(VEGF),　and　basic　fibroblast　growth　factor　(bFGF)　will　be　compared　as　secondary　outcome.　Results:　A　safety　evaluation　and　preliminary　experiment　of　the　EPIC-sICAS　trial　were　completed　in　November　2014　and　March　2015,　respectively.　Overall　and　regional　brain　hemodynamics　remained　stable　throughout　RIPC.　Activities　of　daily　living　score　and　serum　VEGF　and　bFGF　levels　were　significantly　higher　(P　＜　.05)　in　the　intervention　group.　Conclusions:　Repetitive　bilateral　arm　RIPC　appears　to　have　protective　effects　in　the　brain　related　to　angiogenesis　promotion　and　neuroprotection　in　the　acute　phase　of　sICAS.　Assessment　of　the　role　of　RIPC　in　collateral　circulation　requires　imaging　tests　and　longer　follow-up,　as　planned　in　the　EPIC-sICAS　trial.