The University of Pittsburgh has secured a $100 million award from the Department of Defense (DOD) to further its groundbreaking trauma research initiatives through the Leveraging Innovations in Trauma Care (LITES) Network. This substantial funding will enable the LITES Network to continue its mission of transforming trauma care and improving patient outcomes.
PREEVEnT Trial: Early Plasma Resuscitation for Burn Injuries
With the renewed funding, the LITES Network will initiate its tenth study, the Plasma Resuscitation Early for Evaluating Volume and Endotheliopathy of Thermal Injury (PREEVEnT) trial. This trial, set to launch at UPMC Mercy, a leading burn center, and expand to about a dozen sites across North America, aims to determine if early plasma administration to burn patients results in better outcomes compared to the standard of care. The study will focus on the critical early hours after a burn injury, a period when timely intervention can significantly impact patient survival and recovery.
LITES Network: A History of Transforming Trauma Care
Since its inception in 2016, the LITES Network has completed five studies with the potential to reshape trauma care practices. These include observational studies analyzing trauma injury treatment patterns across the U.S. and assessing the outcomes of various interventions. Additionally, the network has conducted trials comparing early platelet administration for blood clotting with standard care, as well as studies focused on enhancing pain management.
The LITES Network currently has four ongoing clinical trials addressing critical areas such as airway management, prehospital pain management, whole blood transfusion, and early treatments for patients experiencing severe blood loss. These trials reflect the network's commitment to addressing the most pressing challenges in trauma care.
Collaborative Effort and Infrastructure
Stephen Wisniewski, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and associate vice chancellor for clinical trials data coordination at Pitt Health Sciences, emphasized the importance of partnerships with numerous trauma centers in providing life-saving care. Francis Guyette, M.D., M.P.H., professor of emergency medicine at Pitt, highlighted the historical lag in pre-hospital trauma care research and the LITES Network's role in bridging this gap. "Trauma patients are a difficult population in which to do research...You need a lot of infrastructure to ensure the trial is conducted in a way that both benefits the current patient and future patients. The LITES Network brings those resources."
Jason Sperry, M.D., M.P.H., professor of surgery and critical care medicine at Pitt’s School of Medicine, noted that trauma remains a leading cause of death in people younger than 45 years old, and a leading cause of preventable death. "The research and clinical innovation we’re doing through the LITES Network is saving lives."
