REal TIme Non-invasive Angiography in TBI (RETINA-TBI)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Real time assessment of retinal perfusion and blood flow as a surrogate measure for cerebral perfusion in severe traumatic brain injury
IRAS ID
339540
Contact name
Richard J Blanch
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Traumatic brain injury is common and a cause of death and severe disability, and treatment aims to make sure that the brain gets enough blood and oxygen, but the tools that we have to measure the blood and oxygen supply to the brain are invasive (probes inserted into the brain) and therefore carry risk and are reserved for the most severely injured patients. We propose to use pictures of the eye to measure eye blood flow, as a surrogate measure for brain blood flow. This is because the eye and brain have the same blood supply and blood flow regulation. We will take pictures of the eye in patients who are unconscious after severe traumatic brain injury and need to have invasive monitoring devices inserted to measure their brain blood flow and take samples of brain fluid. This will allow us to compare eye and brain blood flow, to see if, in the future, we can use eye blood flow to monitor patients without having to insert invasive monitors. Non-invasive monitoring of brain blood flow would improve the management of traumatic brain injury in hospitals and make monitoring of brain blood flow available to less severely injured patients. As secondary research questions we will look: (1), comparing pressure in the head to the pulsation of blood vessels in the eye, to see if in the future we can use pictures of the eye to measure pressure in the head instead of inserting intracranial pressure monitors and; (2), at a molecule that causes brain and eye swelling (aquaporin 4), using all the data and samples we are collecting already, to assess the potential for treatment. The research will not require any additional invasive procedures, so will not expose patients to additional clinical risks or interfere with patients’ normal care.
REC name
Wales REC 2
REC reference
24/WA/0196
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion