Fairer brain recovery predictions after cardiac arrest through U.S.–Brazil collaboration
Official title: Addressing an Inherent Bias in Neuroprognostication: A Collaboration Between the US and Brazil to Reduce the Impact of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Cardiac ARrEst (SPARE)
Funded at Boston Medical Center · NIH-11468064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find better ways to predict brain recovery for people who survive cardiac arrest but have possible brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 22, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $25,758 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS128342-03S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have regained circulation after cardiac arrest and are receiving critical care for suspected hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
✕Less likely to help
People without cardiac arrest or without suspected brain injury, those already declared brain-dead, or those whose care decisions are finalized immediately may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would be followed after a cardiac arrest to track how your brain recovers over time. You would receive neurologic exams, brain scans, blood biomarker tests, and EEGs while researchers compare outcomes in U.S. and Brazilian hospitals. Because some Brazilian centers keep life support longer, the team can observe recoveries that might be missed when care is withdrawn early in other settings. Comparing these real-world outcomes helps the team figure out which tests truly indicate poor or good recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce premature withdrawal of life support and improve the accuracy of brain outcome predictions after cardiac arrest.
How similar studies have gone: Existing prognostic tools exist but have often been biased by early withdrawal of life support, and using international practice differences to reduce that bias is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greer, David Matthew — Boston Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Greer, David Matthew
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Multi-center study on how ventilation during CPR relates to cardiac arrest outcomes
A large, real-world study will look at how ventilation during CPR affects survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in adults.
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Specialized post-arrest care after cardiac arrest
A large, nationwide effort tests whether transferring cardiac arrest patients to a specialized post-arrest care center improves recovery compared with usual care.
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Reduce bias in predicting brain recovery after cardiac arrest
This project aims to make brain-recovery predictions more accurate for people who survive cardiac arrest by comparing outcomes between the United States and Brazil.
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Improving predictions of brain recovery after cardiac arrest
This project compares outcomes after cardiac arrest in the U.S. and Brazil to learn which tests best predict who will regain brain function for people who survive cardiac arrest.
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Reducing biased predictions of brain recovery after cardiac arrest
This project looks at cardiac arrest survivors in the US and Brazil to find more accurate ways to predict brain recovery and avoid premature stopping of life support.
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Pediatric cooling duration to improve brain recovery after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
This study tests the best length of cooling after cardiac arrest in children to help more kids recover with better brain function.
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.