THE University of Salford in collaboration with Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester and Waters Corporation Ltd are to carry out a cutting-edge study in a bid to improve clinical outcomes for patients admitted to hospital with major trauma.
Forty-five per cent of post-admission major trauma deaths are caused by sepsis and multiple organ failure as a result of uncontrolled immuno-modulatory responses.
Together they have launched a 200-patient study to define biomarkers – biological molecules that signal normal or abnormal activity – that could help predict which patients are most at risk.
The study will permit the further understanding of the immunological, proteomic and metabolic perturbations that occur as a consequence of major trauma, and early ‘positive’ results form the basis of a joint bid for funding to upscale the study.
Dr Niroshini Nirmalan, senior lecturer at the University of Salford and principal investigator, said: “The collaborative initiative draws in strengths from the NHS, academia and industry to permit scientific enquiry into cellular perturbations following major trauma with a view to defining their impact on clinical outcome.
“If we can targets vulnerable patients based on the markers, we can better their outcome and reduce hospital stay which will also have implications for hospital costs.”
The four-year study is supported by the National Institute for Health Research, as a NIHR-Portfolio case study (UKCRN 19377) which enables funding for research nurses at both hospitals.
Dr Daniel Horner, consultant emergency physician at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This study is a great example of how major trauma centres in the North West can collaborate to deliver a regional project, improving the validity of the research.”