HEMOTION

Most trauma deaths are related to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the management of patients has improved, mortality remains unacceptably high, and half of survivors of moderate and severe TBI are left with major functional impairment. Current management guidelines are based on limited evidence and practice is highly variable. Most acutely ill patients with TBI will develop anemia, which may decrease oxygen delivery to a fragile brain. While clinical practice is moving towards transfusing at low hemoglobin (Hb) levels, experts have expressed concerns regarding restrictive strategies, which may adversely affect clinical outcomes in TBI. Our primary objective is to evaluate the effect of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion thresholds on neurological functional outcome. We hypothesize that a liberal transfusion strategy improves outcomes compared to a restrictive strategy.

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Chief Investigator: Prof Alexis F Turgeon

Number and location of participating sites / geographical scope (by region/ country): UK 8 sites Canada multiple sites

ClinicalTrials.gov  NCT03260478

Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Start and End date

Of grant award: December 2016 for 5 years

Of recruitment

Current Status: Awaiting publication          

UK GDPR privacy statement: UK GDPR statement provided at consent

Website links: https://www.criticalcare-neurotrauma.ca/projects/hemotion-trial/

Sponsor: University of Laval, Canada

CI: Professor A Turgeon, CHU de Québec-Université Laval

1401, 18e Rue, Québec (Québec) G1J 1Z4, Canada

Phone: 418-649-0252, extension 66064; Email: Alexis.Turgeon@fmed.ulaval.ca

Trial manager: Lucy Clayton; +1 (514) 345-4931 ext 6816; Lucy.clayton@recherche-ste-justine.qc.ca

For UK enquiries contact UK.Hemotion@ed.ac.uk

ECTU Involvement:  UK Co-ordination and blinded 6 month follow up of UK cohort.