Ethical implications of time frames in a randomized controlled trial in acute severe traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze factors determining the time between injury and study drug administration (SDA) in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acute severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to discuss the ethical implications.


METHODS
Time frames prior to SDA, differentiated per country, were analyzed in a recently conducted RCT in severe TBI. Per protocol, the time window for SDA was 6 h after injury. We selected patients for whom written proxy consent (PC) was obtained prior to SDA (n=631).


RESULTS
The time between injury and admission to the neurotrauma center (NTC) varied per country from 1.16 to 2.35 h, but CT scan was obtained on average within 1h of admission. The median time between injury and CT scan was within 3 h in all but one country. The broadest time window was observed between CT scan and obtaining required PC (1.71-2.74 h). The median time between injury and PC varied between countries from 3.75 to 5.00 h. After consent had been obtained, almost all patients subsequently received study drug within 1 h. In 85.3% of all cases time between injury and SDA exceeded 4 h, in 60% 5 h.


CONCLUSIONS
The requirement of written PC causes a significant delay in SDA in TBI. With deferred consent, the first dose of an investigational drug could potentially be administered directly after completion of the admission CT scan, which reduce the time to SDA by 50%. We argue that randomization under deferred consent is ethically defendable for emergency research in severe TBI. Recommendations for patient protection are proposed.
Kompanje
Erwin J O
EJ
Department of Intensive Care, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Ospedale Policlinico IRCCS, Milan, Italy. e.j.o.kompanje@erasmusmc.nl
Maas
Andrew I R
AI
Slieker
François J A
FJ
Stocchetti
Nino
N
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic / Q000941:ethics; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D020458:Third-Party Consent; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed