Clinical dEcision RulE for tBi in oldeR AduLts (CEREBRAL) V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Derivation and narrow validation of a clinical decision rule for paramedics to triage an older adult with a traumatic brain injury
IRAS ID
291682
Contact name
Jack Barrett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South East Coast ambulance service NHS FT
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
It is now widely considered that adults aged 65 years and older contribute to a large proportion of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) patient population. An older adult’s clinical presentation following a TBI may not correlate with the severity of their injury. As a result, the triage of older adults suffering from a TBI is not accurate, increasing the risk of poor patient outcomes. When older adults with traumatic injuries are transported to an appropriate hospital, they are more likely to have a good outcome.
There is currently no agreed means of identifying which older adults are at risk of having a TBI. This study aims to collect routine patient data from both the ambulance service and hospitals that treat TBI in older adults. These data will compare the differences between those older adults who have a TBI and receive treatment for it under specialist services and those that do not.
Ambulance and hospital records will be linked. Once this has occurred, statistical modelling will then be used to determine what variables predict whether an older adult is likely to have a TBI and would benefit from being transported directly to a hospital with specialist services on site.
The outputs from this modelling will then be used to build a decision tool to help paramedics identify which older adults with a head injury should be transported to a hospital specialising in treating TBI.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/EM/0103
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion