Blood test to predict delayed brain injury after an aneurysm bleed
Official title: Discovery of Plasma Biomarkers of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11467911 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is creating a blood test to spot which people who had a brain aneurysm bleed are likely to develop delayed brain injury in the days after the bleed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $507,985 |
| NIH project number | 5R33NS119640-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11467911 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults hospitalized with a recent aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, especially those within the first days to weeks after the initial bleed, are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without a recent aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage or those with other types of stroke or stable, remote history of aneurysm rupture are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
If you survive a ruptured brain aneurysm, this work looks for signs in blood taken soon after the bleed that may signal a later complication called delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Researchers will collect plasma samples from patients hospitalized with subarachnoid hemorrhage, measure candidate protein markers, and compare levels between those who do and do not develop DCI. The team will use blinded testing and validation steps to try to identify a reliable marker panel. The goal is to find a blood signal that helps doctors target monitoring and treatment to the patients who need it most.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let clinicians predict who is at high risk for delayed brain injury so monitoring and treatments can be focused, reducing unnecessary ICU time and complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has suggested possible blood markers but none have had enough accuracy for routine clinical use, so this work builds on promising but still unproven approaches.
Where this research is happening
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University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choi, Huimahn Alex — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Choi, Huimahn Alex
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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.