Improving care for heart injury during sepsis
Official title: Informing best practices for evaluation and treatment of myocardial injury during sepsis
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11143629 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find better ways to understand and treat heart muscle injury that can happen when someone has sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $691,782 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169521-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143629 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have experienced heart muscle injury as a complication of sepsis are the focus of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had sepsis or heart muscle injury related to sepsis would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Sepsis is a serious infection that can lead to organ problems, and about half of those affected also experience heart muscle injury. Currently, there isn't much clear guidance on how best to care for these patients. This project will look at existing patient health records from two large healthcare systems. By examining these records, we hope to learn how heart injury in sepsis is currently managed and identify which treatments, especially blood thinners, work best for different patients. This information will help doctors make more informed decisions about care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clearer guidelines for doctors, helping them choose the most effective treatments for patients experiencing heart injury during sepsis.
How similar studies have gone: While the overall approach of using electronic health records for outcomes research is established, specific guidance for myocardial injury in sepsis remains limited, making this a novel contribution.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Walkey, Allan J. — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Walkey, Allan J.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how to care for heart injury during sepsis
This study looks at how doctors evaluate and treat heart injury that can happen when sepsis occurs, using real patient records to find better, more actionable care patterns.
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Understanding heart injury caused by sepsis
This study looks at how sepsis can harm the heart and aims to find the best ways to treat patients with this condition, especially by checking if blood thinners can help improve their recovery.
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Role of blood flow mechanics and transfusion in sepsis-related tiny-cl vessel clots
A patient-focused look at how red blood cell flow and transfusions might influence tiny blood vessel clots and organ problems in sepsis.
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STeroids and enhanced Antibiotics for sepsis in Africa with HIV/TB (STARS)
This grant tests whether adding steroids and stronger antibiotics helps adults with severe sepsis tied to HIV/TB in areas with high TB rates.
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Steroids and better antibiotics for sepsis in people with AIDS in Africa
This study tests whether adding hydrocortisone and stronger antibiotics can improve survival for adults with sepsis who also have AIDS or advanced immune suppression in regions with high TB.
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Coordinating ARDS, Pneumonia, and Sepsis research to improve care
A national coordinating center helps researchers studying ARDS and related infections work together more efficiently to learn what helps patients recover.
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.