OHSU Selected To Lead Traumatic Brain Injury Study

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Tuesday, October 07, 2014

David Cath, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Oregon Health & Science University has been designated as one of 10 trauma centers in North America to study how a new FDA-approved drug can benefit those with a traumatic brain injury.

The drug, Tranexamic Acid or TXA, is designed to limit brain damage before the patient arrives at the hospital, according to Susan Rowell, M.D., M.C.R, principal investigator for the Oregon study.

"Our goal is to stop the bleeding sooner. By preventing further brain injury, we hope to improve mental recovery," said Rowell.

As part of the study, paramedics will assess whether the individual has met the study criteria. 

Those at the scene who meet the study criteria will either receive the recommended dose of the experimental drug, or be assigned to the study's control group, and will receive plain salt water at the scene and in the hospital.

"All of these are the standard doses used for bleeding after trauma," said Rowell.

OHSU plans to enroll approximately 100 people in the study and continue to monitor them for six months after their discharge.

Since eligible patients will be unconscious and unable to provide authorization before being treated, the OHSU study will fall under the FDA's Exception from Informed Consent regulations, which allow research in certain life-threatening situations without prior consent.

The research is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. 

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