The CDC estimates more than 1.5 million Americans will experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) this year. Current treatment options for TBI patients are relatively limited, due in part to the dearth of therapies that effectively prevent brain damage following injury. More effective therapies for TBI patients have been slow to arrive in part because the research models used in TBI drugs studies need updating, according to a recent article in Science Magazine.
The most common scale used to classify patients for research studies is the Glasgow Coma Scale. This system rather crudely lumps TBI patients into three categories based on their injury severity. The problem is that GCS scores do not take into account the type of underlying damage. For example, 2 patients could present with “moderate” injuries according to the GCS, however one patient could have nerve damage and the other might have a bleeding injury.
In the near future, better classification methods might be routinely used. The NINDS, along with other Federal agencies, is aiming to improve classification of TBI patients for research studies through the “common data element” initiative. The goals of this project are to improve specificity of diagnosis and the standardization of classifications. The results of these and other efforts should greatly improve the state of TBI research, and hopefully lead to better care of TBI patients.
