Brain blood flow and clotting problems in children with tuberculous meningitis
Understanding ischemia in children with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba)
This project looks at why some children with tuberculous meningitis get brain infarcts by using scans and tests of blood and spinal fluid.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stellenbosch University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA) |
| Project ID | NIH-11376814 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my child had tuberculous meningitis, researchers would enroll about 80 children and collect blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples while performing MRI and FDG PET/CT scans at the start and repeat imaging and samples at two weeks, with another MRI at 24 weeks and a developmental check at 48 weeks. The team will run advanced lab tests (proteomics and transcriptomics) and use bioinformatics to link inflammation, clotting, and vessel changes to areas of brain infarction seen on imaging. They will compare children who develop infarcts with those who do not to identify biological and imaging patterns tied to worse outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children (up to about 11 years old) with probable or confirmed tuberculous meningitis who can undergo MRI, PET/CT and lumbar puncture are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children without TB meningitis, those too unstable or medically unable to have imaging or lumbar puncture, or those who cannot travel to the study site would not be eligible or likely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to prevent or treat brain infarcts and reduce death and long-term disability from pediatric tuberculous meningitis.
How similar studies have performed: Imaging and CSF testing have informed TB meningitis care before, but combining PET/CT with multi-omic blood and CSF analyses in children is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA
- Stellenbosch University — Stellenbosch, South Africa (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seddon, James Alexander — Stellenbosch University
- Study coordinator: Seddon, James Alexander
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.