Cytokine storm and its effects in critical illness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact on modifying the cytokine storm, organ cross talk and epigenetic modification following major trauma, burns and traumatic brain injury
IRAS ID
189376
Contact name
Tonny Veenith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Trauma is one of leading causes of admission to critical care units and contributes significantly to the mortality and morbidity in young adults. The mortality rates for patients admitted to the critical care with major trauma remains high despite recent advances in management. The main principles of treatment for major trauma revolve around damage limitation, prevention of secondary insults and support during critical illness phase. Trauma activates an unregulated and misdirected cascade of inflammatory response with an activation of neutrophils and macrophages, resulting in cytokines and chemokines release. Some of these mediators prime the body for infections and multiple organ failures contributing to mortality. ‘Organ cross-talk’ is a well-recognised phenomenon where there is a distant organ dysfunction after activation of systemic inflammation. The extent of release of these pro and anti-inflammatory substances and the host responses are variable and depend on factors such as age, genetic susceptibility and comorbidities. In human and animal models of sepsis a reduction in cytokines resulted in mortality and morbidity benefits.
To date, there has been no similar study in major trauma or other proinflammatory conditions such as burns. Our study aims to measure the temporal profile of unregulated immune response in polytrauma, burns and severe traumatic brain injury. We also plan to study the cytokine and chemokine levels, various metabolic and genetic markers following such immune response. In another cohort of patients cytokine adsorption therapy will be administered and temporal profile of all the above would be studied. The overall aim of this mechanistic study is to understand the response to unregulated and regulated cytokine storm and its role in organ cross talk in patients with severe trauma.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0150
Date of REC Opinion
25 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion