A US medical centre is set to become the first facility in the world to adopt a pioneering blood test designed to assess patients with suspected mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or concussions.
This new blood test, called i-STAT TBI, was developed by Abbott in collaboration with the Department of Defense.
The test builds on research led by Dr. Linda Papa, Director of Clinical Research at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center and her team.
There is a significant demand for such a test, with TBIs from accidents and sport a leading cause of death and disability in the US.
The i-STAT TBI test works by detecting two biomarkers in a patient’s blood that are commonly found after a brain injury.
The test provides results within just 15 minutes, allowing clinicians to decide whether a head CT scan is necessary and what the next steps in care should be.
Dr Papa was instrumental in identifying the biomarkers used in this blood test.
Dr Papa said: “Damaged brain cells release two proteins: GFAP and UCH-L1 into their blood…The higher the concentrations of these proteins, the more severe the brain injury.
“The quicker doctors can detect these brain injuries, the quicker a patient can get life-saving treatment.
“On the flip side, if we find these biomarkers are not elevated in their blood within 24 hours of trauma, that may indicate that they do not need to have a CT scan.”
Traditionally, brain lesions are diagnosed through CT scans, which are time-consuming, costly and involve harmful radiation exposure.
Kelly Nierstedt, Senior Vice President of Orlando Health and President of Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, said: “We are incredibly proud to be the first hospital in the world to roll out this new blood test for traumatic brain injuries…Dr Papa is a visionary.
“Her decades of trailblazing TBI research highlight Orlando Health’s commitment to patient care and strategic innovation.
“We are honoured to be on the leading edge of healthcare throughout the entire journey from the research lab to the patient’s bedside.”
Dr Papa is currently working on evaluating the test for use in children, while continuing to support the clinical implementation of Abbott’s blood test for adult patients with potential TBIs at Orlando Health.
