When minutes matter
For people with critical illnesses or injuries, access to effective treatment is imperative. Often taking place in an emergency or intensive care setting, critical care can be complex, fast paced and involve a wide variety of conditions and treatment plans.
Our research program supports critical care through clinical trials and other studies to improve patient outcomes and advance medicine. Our studies address the continuum of care from emergency to discharge and beyond. And since the pandemic began, we have engaged in high-impact studies of drugs and treatments for COVID-19.
Through our Critical Care Research Center, we oversee clinical research in these specialty areas:
- Emergency medical services
- Emergency medicine department
- Surgical intensive care unit
- Medical intensive care unit
- COVID-19 treatment
- Burn and wound care
- Level I adult and pediatric trauma
- Hospital medicine department
- Cardiology and heart research
- General surgery
Our clinician investigators are leading studies in traumatic brain injury, cardiac arrest resuscitation, septic shock, heart research, COVID-19 treatment, pain and more.
Investigators
Key projects
COVID-19 clinical trials
Early in the pandemic, we developed processes to quickly and safely initiate studies that explored possible treatments for all stages of COVID-19. These studies not only bolstered hope, they improved patient care. Our researchers have looked at the effectiveness of several therapies including convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies, and drugs that moderate the body’s inflammatory response to infection. We continue to manage a portfolio of COVID-19 clinical trials—remaining nimble and committed as we evaluate new and existing treatments.
Biomarker Levels as a Predictor of Concussion Severity OUTcomes (BlacOUT)
We are studying whether a blood test can predict how severe concussion symptoms may be using a serum protein biomarker (SNTF). The goal is to show whether a blood test for SNTF at the emergency department visit can predict severity and length of concussion symptoms. It could then identify patients at risk for severe symptoms, which would help with treatment planning at the time of injury.
Using blood clot prevention drug in patients undergoing medical device implantation
We found that continuing to use warfarin (a drug to prevent blood clots) during pacemaker/defibrillator implantation was better than not taking it. Patients who continued to take warfarin had the shortest hospital stay. This study helped change the care of patients who take blood clot-prevention drugs and are having a medical device implanted.
Use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to help normalize heart pumping function and cardiac rhythm in patients with heart failure: preventing sudden cardiac death
We studied patients with heart failure who received an ICD to prevent sudden death. In some patients, heart function improved to normal over time. In those normalized patients, no device therapy was delivered to correct a life-threatening rhythm for the 2.5 year monitoring period. In contrast, 15 to 20 percent of patients whose heart function remained reduced did receive therapy from their device.
SIREN Network: Strategies to Innovate EmeRgENcy Care Clinical Trials Network
SIREN will enable high-quality, multisite clinical trials to improve the outcomes of patients with neurologic, cardiac, respiratory, hematologic and trauma emergency events. Minnesota is a clinical center (Hub) site coordinated between the University of Minnesota and Regions Hospital. The Minnesota Hub site includes 11 spoke sites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Alaska. There are 10 national Hub sites across the United States.
Key publications
Learn more about our Critical Care and Cardiovascular Health investigators and their publications by visiting Knowledge Exchange.
