Leveraging Biological Clues to Optimize Prehospital Resuscitation of Injured Trauma Patients

Presenter: Danielle Gruen, PhD (advisors: Drs. T. Billiar / J. Sperry)

Traumatic injury is a leading cause of preventable death. Recent advances in trauma care emphasize the importance of the prehospital environment for improving outcomes. The Prehospital Air Medical Plasma (PAMPer) trial demonstrated that prehospital plasma improves survival for severely injured trauma patients transported by air ambulance. However, it remains uncertain which patients receive the greatest benefit and why. In this talk, Dr. Gruen will discuss her group's work to investigate responses to prehospital plasma by leveraging biomarkers, pre- and in-hospital data, and outcomes of patients from the PAMPer trial. Dr. Gruen will characterize PAMPer trial unexpected survivors, discuss the impact of plasma on patients with traumatic brain injuries, explain possible effects of plasma on the immune system and endothelium, and describe how her group may integrate these ideas with in silico models. Finally, Dr. Gruen will share plans for future work on these topics.