Mackay Base Hospital is one of three sites in Australia now recruiting patients for a clinical trial to test a potential new drug treatment to improve concussion recovery time.
Patients with mild traumatic brain injury, more commonly known as concussion, frequently present to the Mackay Base Hospital Emergency Department with varying severity and duration of symptoms.
The Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation (MIRI), the research arm of the Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS), is now recruiting Emergency Department (ED) patients to a clinical trial to test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational study medication to treat and aid in the recovery of concussion.
Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) senior staff specialist (emergency) and principal investigator Dr Sunday Sofola-Orukotan said concussion was a very common condition which could happen to anyone, anywhere, but was more frequently associated with contact sports such as football.
“It’s very common with sporting activities and the rate of presentations of head injuries increases during the rugby season.” Dr Sofola-Orukotan said.
Trial sub-investigator and Mackay HHS senior medical officer (emergency) Dr Olurotimi Akinola said concussion presentations in the ED could also be the result of falls and trips.
“We see it very often in elderly patients,” Dr Akinola said.
“That’s why a study like this is important because it gives us the opportunity to investigate whether a new treatment may improve a patient’s recovery outcomes.”
Generally, most patients with concussion recovered within a few days, but some experienced persistent symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and concentration and memory issues, he said.
“We see people with post-concussive syndrome who have had ongoing symptoms for months and it's affecting their livelihood and day-to-day activities,” Dr Akinola said.
There are currently no approved pharmaceutical treatments for concussion available in Australia with recovery focused on rest and symptom relief.
This clinical trial would investigate the safety and efficacy of a new drug in the treatment of mild traumatic brain injury and trial participants would receive either the investigational drug or placebo alongside standard care.
During his training in Nigeria, Dr Sofola-Orukotan had been involved in another clinical trial and collected data for a study into reducing bleeding in traumatic brain injuries.
“This study is very similar to what I’ve done before so I see it as an opportunity to bring this type of research to the Mackay region to benefit our patients,” he said.
Dr Akinola has also conducted research in this area, but said there remained a lot of work to be done in the treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries.
“I’ve done research in this area of concussion and head injuries in sports, so the opportunity to be involved in this local study is exciting,” he said.
“We do see a lot of people coming back to the ED with symptoms for a long time after they’ve had concussion, so there’s really still a lot research to be done in this area.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the clinical trial can contact the Clinical Trials Unit on 4885 6788 or email mackay-clinical-trials@health.qld.gov.au
About Clinical Trials
- Given the investigational nature of clinical trials, there is no guarantee of benefit to the patient.
- Participation in clinical trials is voluntary. All participants continue to receive standard medical care and eligibility is assessed by the clinical trial team according to strict ethical and safety requirements.
- MIRI has active trials in the areas of emergency, mental health, oncology, anaesthetics, renal, respiratory and obstetrics and gynaecology.