Saline Versus Balanced Crystalloid in Traumatic Brain Injury

This study is looking at whether Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl) or a balanced crystalloid (types of intravenous fluids) works better for patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Doctors want to see if one fluid leads to better recovery. You might be able to join if you are an adult trauma patient with a Glasgow Coma Scale (a measure of consciousness) of 12 or less, and a head CT scan showing skull fractures or bleeding. The study will measure your neurological outcomes (how well your brain recovers) six months after your injury to see which fluid is more helpful. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 600 participants. It compares two different intravenous fluids: Normal Saline and a balanced crystalloid.
What's involved
You will receive either saline or balanced fluid through your veins. Medical information will be collected from your records for up to 14 days, and your disability will be assessed during a follow-up doctor's visit six months later.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will have their neurological outcomes assessed at 6 months post injury.

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NCT06953674

Saline Versus Balanced Crystalloid in Traumatic Brain Injury

Recruiting
PHASE3Ages 18+InterventionalTreatment
University of Louisville
~600 participants
Updated 2026-08-26 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl)balanced crystalloid

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Neurological Outcomes
Measured over 6 months post injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Patients
1 sites across 1 states
Kentucky1
  • Akshitkumar Mistry, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Assistant Professor Term

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Trauma patients presenting to the Emergency Room for initial care
Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 12
Head CT with skull fracture(s) and/or hemorrhage(s) (\>1cm in any single dimension) with a reported mechanism of trauma

Exclusion

Severe visceral trauma dictating mortality (visceral injury severity score \> brain injury severity score)
Non-survivable brain injury based on the treating physician's judgment
Emergent visceral operative intervention before complete trauma assessment
Concern for ruptured intracranial vascular malformation
Patients who are transferred from another facility
  • Neurological Outcomes6 months post injury

    Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) 8-point scale. Glasgow Outcome Scale has been widely accepted as the standard assessment scale of global outcomes after severe brain injury because it captures well how the injury affects functioning in major areas of life. Using the manual for the GOSE interview, we will conduct our primary efficacy assessment at 6 months after ICU admission in person or over the phone. Outcomes on the GOSE scale do not change past the 6-month mark in moderate and severe TBI patients. The 8-point ordinal GOSE scale for the primary efficacy assessment will be dichotomized into favorable (GOSE score 4-8) and unfavorable (GOSE 1-3) outcomes. The primary analysis model will be a logistic regression model where the outcome of interest is the dichotomized GOS-E evaluated at 6 months to reflect favorable and unfavorable outcomes. The covariate of interest is a randomization assignment.