Biomarkers to guide spinal nicardipine for blood-vessel spasm after bleeding around the brain
Development of Biomarkers to Optimize Intrathecal Nicardipine Treatment for Cerebral Vasospasm and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Doctors are using a bedside optical monitor to see if it helps pick which patients with bleeding around the brain should get spinal (intrathecal) nicardipine to treat blood-vessel spasm.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174552 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding around the brain) and developed vessel spasm, doctors in this project would give nicardipine directly into the spinal fluid to try to open narrowed brain arteries. They will use non-invasive diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) at the bedside to measure changes in cerebral blood flow after the first nicardipine dose and look for patterns that predict recovery. The team will combine these optical signals with clinical outcomes and other data to create biomarkers that help choose who should receive the treatment. This work builds on Emory's retrospective data from over 400 patients and small pilot DOS data and aims to make treatment decisions more personalized.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people hospitalized after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who show signs of cerebral vasospasm and can receive intrathecal therapy and bedside monitoring.
Not a fit: People who did not have subarachnoid hemorrhage, who do not develop vasospasm, or who cannot receive intrathecal treatment are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors target intrathecal nicardipine to patients most likely to avoid delayed brain injury and improve recovery.
How similar studies have performed: Retrospective data from over 400 Emory patients suggest intrathecal nicardipine can dilate vessels and lower delayed ischemia, but using bedside optical biomarkers to guide who gets treatment is a new approach supported so far only by small pilot data.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sadan, Ofer — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sadan, Ofer
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.