BRIDGE-US: Bridging Readiness in Deployed Neurotrauma Gaps for Excellence
University of Chicago
Summary
The purpose of this research study is to prospectively collect biospecimens, imaging, and clinical data from patients with penetrating brain injuries across high-volume PBI sites in the US (including UChicago). Biospecimens will undergo biomarker analysis - biomarker data specific to PBI is extremely limited, and could provide critical insight to outcome identification and clinical decision making. This data will be used to build the first comprehensive PBI Data Commons, biorepository, and imaging repository which will create the infrastructure necessary to close critical knowledge gaps, advance biomarker discovery specific to PBI, and provide the foundation for future research aimed at improving prognostication and treatment for patients with this devastating injury.
Description
Penetrating brain injury (PBI) is one of the most devastating and understudied forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), characterized by the violation of the skull and brain parenchyma by foreign objects such as bullets or shrapnel. Unlike blunt TBI, PBI involves unique mechanical and secondary injury patterns, including direct tissue destruction, vascular damage, hemorrhage, cavitation, and axonal shearing. These injuries often lead to severe disability or death, particularly in military and civilian populations exposed to ballistic trauma. Despite the increasing burden of firearm-related PBI i…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 16+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age: Subjects aged 16 years and older 2. Injury Type/Evidence: Patients with a confirmed PBI as demonstrated by head imaging or physical exam (evidence of dural penetration by a projectile) 3. Timeframe: Patients must be enrolled within 8 hours of injury Exclusion Criteria: No subjects will be excluded based on gender or ethnicity for this study. Subjects under the age of 16 will be excluded. These subjects differ significantly in terms of neurodevelopment, physiology, and trauma response, which introduces heterogeneity that could confound study results. Additionally,…
Interventions
- OtherBlood Sample Collection
Subjects with confirmed Penetrating Brain Injury (PBI) will be enrolled upon arrival to each site and have blood samples collected at five timepoints by nurses/phlebotomists/approved research personnel. As soon as possible after injury, preferably within 4 hours of injury, but must be obtained within 8 hours of injury.
Location
- The University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois