LITTLE ROCK — Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) are partnering with the University of Pittsburgh to study whether calcium, vasopressin, or both, will help severely injured patients survive life-threatening blood loss early in treatment.
The CAlcium and VAsopressin following Injury Early Resuscitation (CAVALIER) trial will include approximately 1,050 people, ages 18 to 90. Patients who have traumatic injuries with loss of blood may be enrolled by participating emergency medical personnel during their transportation to UAMS or after arrival.
CAVALIER is an Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) trial, meaning that the trial requires performing a potentially life-saving treatment in people who are too injured to give permission. This study will look at treatment for patients who have a traumatic injury and have lost a lot of blood. These patients are too injured to give permission before receiving the study drug. Permission for continued participation will be obtained from patients once they are able, or as soon as possible from their family members.
Standard treatments for injured patients who are bleeding include the transfusion of different types of blood products, the use of medications to help the blood clot better, and surgery to stop the bleeding. Even with these treatments, up to 30% of patients die with a serious traumatic injury.
“We are committed at UAMS to helping improve survival rates of these severely injured patients,” said Joseph Margolick, M.D., a trauma surgeon and the UAMS principal investigator on the study. “We think early treatment with calcium and vasopressin in trauma patients may improve outcomes.”
For more information about CAVALIER, including how people can optout from being enrolled in the study, or to complete an anonymous survey on your thoughts about this EFIC study, please go to litesnetwork.org/CAVALIER/.
