Cortisol profiles in the critically ill after brain injury
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cortisol profiles in the critically ill after brain injury
IRAS ID
255334
Contact name
Ben Gibbison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol Research and Enterprise Development
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
4451, North Bristol NHS Trust R&I reference number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
In the UK, a significant number of people are admitted to hospital with brain injury as a result of trauma. Brain injury has 2 components – the injury itself, as well as ‘secondary injury’ – damage to brain that occurs as a result of inflammation. One of the hormones that protects against this inflammatory response is the stress hormone cortisol. There is some evidence that people who are critically ill do not produce enough cortisol or produce it in the wrong way. Existing data suggests that cortisol is produced in pulses lasting around 1 hour and no one has looked at whether these pulses of cortisol exist after head injury. In addition current tests of cortisol do not take into account these pulses. We would like to measure tissue levels of cortisol using a technique called microdialysis in brain injured patients within the first 48 hours post injury, to allow us to see how much cortisol they are producing and whether they are producing it in the right way. Once we know this, we can begin to decide how much replacement cortisol to give, what way to give it and who might benefit from such replacement.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0304
Date of REC Opinion
3 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion