HEMOglobin Transfusion Threshold in Traumatic Brain Injury OptimizatioN: The HEMOTION Trial

Summary

Most trauma deaths are related to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the management of patients has improved, mortality remains unacceptably high, and half of survivors of moderate and severe TBI are left with major functional impairment. Current management guidelines are based on limited evidence and practice is highly variable. Most acutely ill patients with TBI will develop anemia, which may decrease oxygen delivery to a fragile brain. While clinical practice is moving towards transfusing at low hemoglobin (Hb) levels, experts have expressed concerns regarding restrictive strategies, which may adversely affect clinical outcomes in TBI. Our primary objective is to evaluate the effect of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion thresholds on neurological functional outcome. We hypothesize that a liberal transfusion strategy improves outcomes compared to a restrictive strategy.

Conditions

• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Transfusion

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Red Blood Cells Transfusion

Transfusion of packed red blood cells unit(s).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Canadian Critical Care Trials Group

  collaborator OTHER

• Canadian Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Canadian Perioperative Anesthesia Clinical Trials (PACT) Group

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Alexis Turgeon, MD MSc FRCPC · CHU de Quebec-Université Laval Research Center

• François Lauzier, MD MSc FRCPC · CHU de Quebec-Université Laval Research Center

• Dean Fergusson, PhD · Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-08-31

Primary Completion

2023-10-26

Completion

2024-02-16

Countries

• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• United Kingdom

Study Locations