Active clinical trials for "Brain Edema"

Stroke remains the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (second worldwide) and a leading cause of long-term disability, resulting in total direct and indirect costs of approximately $73.7 billion annually. The failure of novel therapies in clinical trials demonstrates that the complex neural response to stroke must be targeted at multiple levels to improve patient outcomes. Despite significant improvements in stroke treatment and management, 1 year survival rate among stroke patients aged 65 years or more is around 25%, and 5- year survival rate amounts to approximately 50%. The highest chances of death are within 30 days of stroke. Mortality increases due to worsening brain dysfunction, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), and other comorbid conditions. Treatments aimed at reducing post-stroke cytotoxic edema may reduce the risk for development of malignant stroke and mortality. Current treatments such as osmo-therapy and hemicraniectomy have substantial limitations, and mortality remains high, despite these measures outcomes remain unsatisfactory. There is a great need for alternative medical approaches which are safe, predictable, and help to ameliorate post stroke edema.

The purpose of this study is to examine the safety and efficacy of XERECEPT (human Corticotropin-Releasing Factor, or hCRF) compared to dexamethasone in patients with primary malignant glioma who require increased dexamethasone doses to control symptom of peritumoral brain edema.

Cerebral edema is seen heterogenous group of neurological disease states that mainly fall under the categories of metabolic, infectious, neoplasia, cerebrovascular, and traumatic brain injury disease states. Regardless of the driving force, cerebral edema is defined as the accumulation of fluid in the brain's intracellular and extracellular spaces. This occurs secondary to alterations in the complex interplay between four distinct fluid compartments within the cranium. In any human cranium; fluid is contained in the blood, the cerebrospinal fluid, interstitial fluid of the brain parenchyma, and the intracellular fluid of the neurons and glia. Fluid movement occurs normally between these compartments and depends on specific concentrations of solutes (such as sodium) and water. In brain-injured states, the normal regulation of this process is disturbed and cerebral edema can develop. Cerebral edema leads to increased intracranial pressure and mortality secondary to brain tissue compression, given the confines of the fixed-volume cranium. Additionally, secondary neuronal dysfunction or death can occur at the cellular level secondary to the disruption of ion gradients that control metabolism and function. While studies utilizing bolus dosing of hyperosmolar therapy to target signs or symptoms of increased intracranial pressure secondary to cerebral edema are numerous, there is a paucity of studies relating to continuous infusion of hyperosmolar therapy for targeted sustained hypernatremia for the prevention and treatment of cerebral edema. The investigators hypothesize that induced, sustained hypernatremia following traumatic brain injury will decrease the rate of cerebral edema formation and improve patient outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the effect of an early induced hypernatremia protocol (150-155 milliequivalent/L) versus normonatremia plus mannitol (135 - 145 milliequivalent/L) in terms of neurologic outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury managed at critical care unit.

Purpose of the study：This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of serum SUR1, TRPM4 and MMP-9 in the diagnosis of cerebral edema in children with cerebral edema admitted to PICU by comparing them with CT results and perturbation coefficients, so as to provide biological indicators for clinical diagnosis of cerebral edema and provide targets for the treatment of cerebral edema in various diseases.

Prospective observational study on patients undergoing decompressive craniotomy

Whether a fluid protocol aiming for protecting vital organ perfusion or fluid restriction is favorable to post-craniotomy outcomes such as brain edema remains uncertain. To our knowledge, there has been no extensive and quantitative analysis of brain edema following SVV-based GDFT in neurosurgical patients with malignant supratentorial glioma. So the study aims to observe the effect of the stroke volume variation-based GDFT on the postoperative brain edema and decrease the incidence of postoperative complications in neurosurgical patients with malignant supratentorial gliomas.

Osmotherapy has been used as the medical treatment for brain edema and intracranial hypertension in critically brain injured patients. Measurement of serum osmolality during osmotherapy is of clinical importance to determine clinical efficacy, adjust dosage and avoid side effect. Serum osmolality is often measured in laboratory by cryoscopic technique as the reference method. However, in clinical setting, routine measurement of serum osmolality is not feasible at bedside, either in intensive care unit (ICU) or neurosurgical ward. Therefore, clinicians usually estimate serum osmolality by using equations derived from serum osmoles that can be measured by bedside blood gas analysis or routine laboratory chemical analysis, such as sodium, potassium, urea, and glucose. In present study, mannitol or hypertonic saline will be used in patients after craniotomy, and serum osmolality will be measured before and during drug infusion. Investigators hypothesize that the correlation of measured and calculated serum osmolality is better during infusion of hypertonic saline than mannitol.

In this prospective randomized controlled trial, investigator aim to evaluate the impact of early initiation of CRRT on outcomes in patients with acute liver failure with cerebral edema and hyperammonemia in improving cerebral edema and clinical outcomes. Investigator also aim to evaluate the effects of early initiation of CRRT on systemic hemodynamics (cardiac output and systemic vascular resistive index, extravascular lung water and lung permeability index), endothelial function and coagulation, microcirculation (as assessed by lactate clearance and central venous oxygen saturation), mitochondrial function. Patients with ALF who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group 1: CRRT initiation within the first 12 hours Group 2: CRRT would be initiated i) In patients with worsening hyperammonemia despite two sessions of plasma-exchange ii) Patients meeting renal indications (hyperkalemia, volume overload, oliguria or metabolic acidosis etc)

Patients who experience lung injury are often placed on a ventilator to help them heal; however, if the ventilator volume settings are too high, it can cause additional lung injury. It is proven that using lower ventilator volume settings improves outcomes. In patients with acute brain injury, it is proven that maintaining a normal partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood improves outcomes. Mechanical ventilator settings with higher volumes and higher breathing rates are sometimes required to maintain a normal partial pressure of carbon dioxide. These 2 goals of mechanical ventilation, using lower volumes to prevent additional lung injury but maintaining a normal partial pressure of carbon dioxide, are both important for patients with acute brain injury. The investigators have designed a computerized ventilator protocol in iCentra that matches the current standard of care for mechanical ventilation of patients with acute brain injury by targeting a normal partial pressure of carbon dioxide with the lowest ventilator volume required. This is a quality improvement study with the purpose of observing and measuring the effects of implementation of a standard of care mechanical ventilation protocol for patients with acute brain injury in the iCentra electronic medical record system at Intermountain Medical Center. We hypothesize that implementation of a standardized neuro lung protective ventilation protocol will be feasible, will achieve a target normal partial pressure of carbon dioxide, will decrease tidal volumes toward the target 6 mL/kg predicted body weight, and will improve outcomes.