Limiting oxygen after cardiac arrest to protect the brain and heart
Official title: Resuscitating the Brain and Heart Following Cardiac Arrest: Targeting Oxygen Toxicity
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11253277 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project gives lower oxygen to patients right after cardiac arrest to try to reduce oxygen-related damage and help the heart and brain recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | April 2, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $793,252 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL169679-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11253277 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who have been successfully resuscitated from sudden cardiac arrest and require mechanical ventilation in the immediate hours after return of circulation.
✕Less likely to help
People who did not experience cardiac arrest, who are breathing independently, or for whom reduced oxygen would be unsafe (for example severe chronic lung disease) would likely not benefit from this therapy.
What this research studies
If I were resuscitated after a sudden cardiac arrest, this work would place me on a controlled lower-oxygen breathing mix (about 10% oxygen) for a short window after circulation returns, a treatment called oxygen restriction therapy (O2RT). The team compares that approach to higher oxygen levels and normal air to see which setting leads to better heart and brain function. They track how the body uses oxygen, blood markers of metabolism and cell injury, organ physiology, molecular signals tied to oxygen response, and short-term survival. Early animal results showed less cellular injury and improved recovery with O2RT, and researchers are exploring whether similar benefits could occur in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce organ damage after cardiac arrest and increase the chance of surviving with good brain function.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical (animal) studies reported improved heart and brain recovery and survival with brief controlled low-oxygen therapy, but applying this strategy in humans is relatively novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sharp, Willard William — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Sharp, Willard William
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.
-
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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Fairer brain recovery predictions after cardiac arrest through U.S.–Brazil collaboration
This project aims to find better ways to predict brain recovery for people who survive cardiac arrest but have possible brain injury.
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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.
-
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.
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.