Clinical Trials in Emergency Medicine

The Department of Emergency Medicine participates in multiple clinical trial networks and also conducts local investigator-initiated clinical trials.  Research specialists support enrollment in these trials in the emergency department and by coordinating with emergency medical services. 

SIREN (Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clincal Trial Network) is a jointly NINDS-NHLBI supported network dedicated to testing interventions for brain, heart, lung or blood emergencies.  SIREN is a continuation of both the Resusciation Outcomes Consortium (NHLBI) and the Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trial network (NINDS).  Current and recent trials in include:

  • BOOST-3 is testing intracranial pressure monitoring versus brain tissue oxygen monitoring to guide intensive care in severe traumatic brain injury
    • BIO-BOOST is collecting biospecimens from traumatic brain injury patients
    • ELECTRO-BOOST is collecting continuous EEG data from patients recovering from severe traumatic brain injury
  • ICECAP is testing different durations of hypothermia for improving outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
    • PRECICECAP is collecting high resolution EEG, imaging and other data from patients recovering from cardiac arrest to determine individual response to treatment
  • C3PO (completed) tested whether COVID-19 onvalescent plasma administered in the ED prevented progression of COVID-19 in outpatients

PETAL (Prevention & Early Treatment of Acute Lung Injury) is an NHLBI supported network dedicated to testing early treatments for acute lung injury.  Current trials include:

  • CLOVERS (Crystalloid Liberal or Vasopressors Early Resuscitation in Sepsis) (completed) is testing two approaches to treatment of sepsis: early initiation of vaopressor drugs versus early large volume fluid resuscitation.
  • ASTER is testing whether acetaminophen improves recovery in sepsis

LITES (Linking Investigations in Trauma and Emergency Services) is a Department of Defense supported network dedicated to testing emergency treatment for traumatic injury. Current trials include:

  • Study of whole blood versus blood component therapy in resuscitation of severe trauma with hemorrhagic shock
  • Fentanyl versus ketamine for pain control
  • Supraglottic versus endotracheal tubes for airway support