Multimodal Monitoring Directed Management of Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Multimodality Monitoring Directed Management of Patients Suffering From Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
IRAS ID
214893
Contact name
Adel Helmy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a specific form of stroke caused by bleeding from a weakness in a blood vessel, called an aneurysm. It affects around 10,000 people in the UK every year with approximately 1/3 dying as a result, 1/3 being left with serious disability and 1/3 doing well. Compared to other forms of stroke, it more commonly affects younger patients of working age. SAH is a complicated disease to treat, because brain damage can occur even after the initial bleed. The bleed triggers a number of harmful processes in the brain leading to reduced levels of oxygen and nutrients and, ultimately, further brain damage or death days and weeks later. The causes for this ongoing and delayed brain damage are still poorly understood seriously limiting the number of available treatment options. Current standard treatment is blood pressure augmentation which is not always effective and can put strain on the heart.
Our department is currently the world leader in monitoring of the injured brain. Monitors placed in the affected part of the brain (called microdialysis and brain tissue oxygen) provide information about the levels of oxygen and fuel available to the brain and if cells are able to produce sufficient energy. They inform doctors if the monitored area of the brain is at risk of damage and allows them to monitor response to treatment (typically blood pressure augmentation). One limitation of using these monitors is that they can only provide information about a small part of the brain. The aim of this study is to target these brain monitors to the area most at risk of brain damage using CT scans that are already routinely used. By targeting the probes more precisely we can improve the usefulness of our brain monitors and ultimately improve our management and patient outcomes.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0586
Date of REC Opinion
18 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion