Traumatic Brain InjuryNCT03379220
Spreading Depolarizations in Traumatic Brain Injury
An observational study of Traumatic Brain Injury, run by University of Cincinnati at 7 sites in United States.
Trial summary
This research aims to extend the application of spreading depolarization monitoring to non-surgical TBI patients, using intraparenchymal electrode arrays and scalp electroencephalography to detect depolarizations and develop less invasive monitoring methods. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- How many people
- 147 participants
- Where
- 7 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 28 Mar 2017to 15 Jun 2022
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Approximately 189 patients admitted to intensive care for treatment of TBI will be enrolled. The study will be conducted as an addition to TRACK-TBI (Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury), an observational study conducted at 11 sites in the United States. The present study will be implemented at 7 of the 11 sites: University of Cincinnati, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Miami, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, and Baylor College of Medicine.
Who may be able to join
- Enrollment in TRACK-TBI CA cohort
- Admission to intensive care
- Documented TBI <24 hr before anticipated placement of electrodes
- Lobe of primary injury accessible for ECoG by burr hole or craniotomy access
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Acute brain CT for clinical care
Show all 9Show fewer
- Visual acuity/hearing adequate for testing
- Fluency in English or Spanish
- Ability to obtain informed consent
Who cannot join
- Significant polytrauma that would confound outcome assessment
- Prisoners or patients in custody
- Pregnancy
- Patients on psychiatric hold
- Major debilitating baseline mental health disorder that would interfere with follow-up and the validity of outcome
- Major debilitating neurological disease impairing baseline awareness, cognition, or validity of follow-up and outcome assessment
Show all 13Show fewer
- Significant history of pre-existing conditions that would interfere with follow-up and outcome assessment
- Low likelihood of follow-up
- Current participation in an interventional trial
- Penetrating TBI
- Spinal cord injury with ASIA score of C or worse
- Bilateral unreactive pupils or other evidence of unsurvivable injury
- Evidence of coagulopathy (INR>1.5 or thrombocytopenia) or infection, which contraindicate invasive monitoring
Trial locations and contacts
7 sites in 1 country.
7 sites in 1 country
United States7 sites
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, 77030
University of Miami
Miami, Florida, 33136
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, 94110
About this study
Official title: Development and Validation of Spreading Depolarization Monitoring for TBI Management
This research aims to extend the application of spreading depolarization monitoring to non-surgical TBI patients, using intraparenchymal electrode arrays and scalp electroencephalography to detect depolarizations and develop less invasive monitoring methods.
Read the detailed description
This study aims to develop the new clinical science of spreading depolarizations for routine monitoring of all TBI patients requiring intensive care. This will be accomplished by investigating automated and non-invasive methods for bedside detection of spreading depolarizations and by determining the prognostic value of such monitoring across the spectrum of TBI severity. While current monitoring of depolarizations is invasive and limited to the subgroup of TBI patients requiring craniotomy, pilot studies have shown that spreading depolarizations are also manifested in non-invasive scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. Here, approximately 189 subjects will undergo neuromonitoring with EEG only (n=63), with combined EEG and intraparenchymal ECoG (n=63), or with combined EEG and subdural ECoG (n=63). Simultaneous ECoG and EEG monitoring will allow characterization of the EEG signatures of spreading depolarizations and enable identification of signal-processing steps and quantitative criteria for their detection with clinically meaningful sensitivity and specificity, as validated against the gold standard of invasive ECoG. In parallel, an observational electrophysiology study of all TBI patients admitted to intensive care, including non-surgical cases, will characterize the incidence of spreading depolarizations across the TBI severity spectrum. Successful completion of these objectives will 1) determine the extent to which findings obtained in surgical TBI patients also generalize to patients who are managed medically, and 2) establish the first non-invasive method for routine bedside monitoring of a neuronal pathomechanism with proven relevance to TBI outcome. In doing so, this study may enable an individualized approach to TBI management and clinical trials in which neuroprotective therapies can be administered selectively to patients based on real-time identification of a marker and mechanism of secondary neuronal injury.
- Conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Medical subject headings
- Brain Injuries, Traumatic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Subdural ECoG (Group 1) | For patients who require craniotomy to treat TBI, a subdural electrode strip will be placed intraoperatively following evacuation of a hematoma or contusion, as required. Electrode strips will be used for subsequent electrocorticography (ECoG) during intensive care. Patients will also undergo continuous scalp EEG monitoring. | |
| Burr Hole ECoG (Group 2) | For patients who do not require surgery but do require invasive monitoring, an intraparenchymal ECoG electrode array will be placed through a cranial burr hole. Depending on other monitoring needs, the location of injuries, and other clinical considerations, the burr hole may be the same as used for placement of other probes or may be separate. In cases of focal injury, the burr hole will be placed to allow electrode targeting to a lobe with significant primary lesion(s). Patients will also undergo continuous scalp EEG monitoring. | |
| EEG (Groups 1-3) | Continuous EEG recordings will be made using Ag/AgCl electrodes placed on or beneath the scalp (subdermal wire) according to standard practice. The default montage will employ eight lead electrodes for each hemisphere following the 10/20 system (Right: Fp2, F4, C4, P4, O2, F8, T4, T6; left: Fp1, F3, C3, P3, O1, F7, T3, T5). Other montages with more dense placement of electrodes in the region of ECoG monitoring may also be used. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E)
Glasgow Outcome Scale- Extended (GOS-E) is an ordinal global scale for functional outcome that rates patient status into one of eight categories, with higher scores representing better recovery: Dead (1), Vegetative State (2), Lower Severe Disability (3), Upper Severe Disability (4), Lower Moderate Disability (5), Upper Moderate Disability (6), Lower Good Recovery (7), and Upper Good Recovery (8).
Measured: 6 months following injury
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Dec 2017
- Study start28 Mar 2017
- Primary completion15 Jun 2021
- Study completion15 Jun 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Traumatic Brain InjuryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of CincinnatiThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 147 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Cincinnati
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jed Hartings, University of Cincinnati
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03379220
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Hartings SD-II
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 14 Dec 2017
- Last updated
- 22 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Development and Validation of Spreading Depolarization Monitoring for TBI Management
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03379220
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Hartings SD-II
- Conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 147 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of CincinnatiUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command
- Study start
- 28 Mar 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jun 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Jun 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 20 Dec 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This research aims to extend the application of spreading depolarization monitoring to non-surgical TBI patients, using intraparenchymal electrode arrays and scalp electroencephalography to detect depolarizations and develop less invasive monitoring methods.
Detailed description
This study aims to develop the new clinical science of spreading depolarizations for routine monitoring of all TBI patients requiring intensive care. This will be accomplished by investigating automated and non-invasive methods for bedside detection of spreading depolarizations and by determining the prognostic value of such monitoring across the spectrum of TBI severity. While current monitoring of depolarizations is invasive and limited to the subgroup of TBI patients requiring craniotomy, pilot studies have shown that spreading depolarizations are also manifested in non-invasive scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. Here, approximately 189 subjects will undergo neuromonitoring with EEG only (n=63), with combined EEG and intraparenchymal ECoG (n=63), or with combined EEG and subdural ECoG (n=63). Simultaneous ECoG and EEG monitoring will allow characterization of the EEG signatures of spreading depolarizations and enable identification of signal-processing steps and quantitative criteria for their detection with clinically meaningful sensitivity and specificity, as validated against the gold standard of invasive ECoG. In parallel, an observational electrophysiology study of all TBI patients admitted to intensive care, including non-surgical cases, will characterize the incidence of spreading depolarizations across the TBI severity spectrum. Successful completion of these objectives will 1) determine the extent to which findings obtained in surgical TBI patients also generalize to patients who are managed medically, and 2) establish the first non-invasive method for routine bedside monitoring of a neuronal pathomechanism with proven relevance to TBI outcome. In doing so, this study may enable an individualized approach to TBI management and clinical trials in which neuroprotective therapies can be administered selectively to patients based on real-time identification of a marker and mechanism of secondary neuronal injury.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Subdural ECoG (Group 1) | – | –For patients who require craniotomy to treat TBI, a subdural electrode strip will be placed intraoperatively following evacuation of a hematoma or contusion, as required. Electrode strips will be used for subsequent electrocorticography (ECoG) during intensive care. Patients will also undergo continuous scalp EEG monitoring. |
| Burr Hole ECoG (Group 2) | – | –For patients who do not require surgery but do require invasive monitoring, an intraparenchymal ECoG electrode array will be placed through a cranial burr hole. Depending on other monitoring needs, the location of injuries, and other clinical considerations, the burr hole may be the same as used for placement of other probes or may be separate. In cases of focal injury, the burr hole will be placed to allow electrode targeting to a lobe with significant primary lesion(s). Patients will also undergo continuous scalp EEG monitoring. |
| EEG (Groups 1-3) | – | –Continuous EEG recordings will be made using Ag/AgCl electrodes placed on or beneath the scalp (subdermal wire) according to standard practice. The default montage will employ eight lead electrodes for each hemisphere following the 10/20 system (Right: Fp2, F4, C4, P4, O2, F8, T4, T6; left: Fp1, F3, C3, P3, O1, F7, T3, T5). Other montages with more dense placement of electrodes in the region of ECoG monitoring may also be used. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Approximately 189 patients admitted to intensive care for treatment of TBI will be enrolled. The study will be conducted as an addition to TRACK-TBI (Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury), an observational study conducted at 11 sites in the United States. The present study will be implemented at 7 of the 11 sites: University of Cincinnati, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Miami, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California San Francisco, and Baylor College of Medicine.
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Enrollment in TRACK-TBI CA cohort
- Admission to intensive care
- Documented TBI <24 hr before anticipated placement of electrodes
- Lobe of primary injury accessible for ECoG by burr hole or craniotomy access
- Age ≥ 18 years
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Significant polytrauma that would confound outcome assessment
- Prisoners or patients in custody
- Pregnancy
- Patients on psychiatric hold
- Major debilitating baseline mental health disorder that would interfere with follow-up and the validity of outcome
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E)
Time frame: 6 months following injury
Glasgow Outcome Scale- Extended (GOS-E) is an ordinal global scale for functional outcome that rates patient status into one of eight categories, with higher scores representing better recovery: Dead (1), Vegetative State (2), Lower Severe Disability (3), Upper Severe Disability (4), Lower Moderate Disability (5), Upper Moderate Disability (6), Lower Good Recovery (7), and Upper Good Recovery (8).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 Dec 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
7 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Traumatic Brain Injury, run by University of Cincinnati at 7 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 7 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) (time frame: 6 months following injury). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Dec 2025.