SWiFT Canada (Study of Whole Blood in Frontline Trauma)

Summary

Traumatic injuries affect people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Global Burden of Disease study showed that globally in 2019, there were more than 4.4 million deaths due to injury. Furthermore, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for people aged 5-29 years worldwide. Uncontrolled bleeding accounts for a significant proportion of these deaths, with approximately 20% occurring in the first 24 hours and 40% occurring within the first 30 days.

Blood transfusion is a life-saving treatment in the management of bleeding patients until bleeding is controlled in hospital, typically delivered through different blood components (red blood cells, plasma and platelets). These components are derived from a whole blood donation and are stored in separate bags (units). There are challenges in carrying separate blood products, such as additional weight in kit bags, and transfusing multiple blood products at the scene can delay transport to hospital.

In Ontario, Ornge Air Ambulance carries red blood cells and plasma to transfuse prehospital. However, a prehospital transfusion strategy has not been established and practice varies across the Canadian setting, and more broadly across the world.

This trial aims to investigate if carrying and transfusing two units of whole blood instead of four units (two red blood cells and two plasma) is feasible and leads to better outcomes for patients.

Conditions

• Trauma

Interventions

BIOLOGICAL

Whole Blood

2 units of whole blood administered by Ornge AAS

BIOLOGICAL

RBC + plasma

2 units of RBC + 2 units of plasma administered by Ornge AAS

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Veteran Affairs Canada

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Ornge

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Canadian Blood Services

  collaborator OTHER

• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

  collaborator OTHER

• Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation

  collaborator OTHER

• London Health Sciences Centre

  collaborator OTHER

• Kingston Health Sciences Centre

  collaborator OTHER

• Health Sciences North

  collaborator OTHER

• Unity Health Toronto

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Brodie Nolan, MD MSc · Unity Health Toronto

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-12-16

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2027-03-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations