Recruiting

Understanding Brain Injury After Cardiac Arrest Through Fluid Analysis

Plain-English translation of NCT07481396 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated March 2026 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

After a person's heart stops and is restarted, the brain can suffer delayed damage—a condition called secondary brain injury. This study collects cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord) from cardiac arrest survivors to examine molecular changes at the genetic, protein, and chemical levels. Researchers will use this information to identify why some patients recover better than others and to discover potential new treatments for brain protection.

Currently, there are limited treatments to prevent or reduce brain damage after cardiac arrest survives restart their hearts. Understanding the underlying molecular causes of delayed brain injury could lead to new therapies that improve recovery and reduce long-term disability in these patients.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have survived an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and are receiving post-resuscitation medical care
you do not have medical conditions that would make lumbar puncture (spinal tap) unsafe, such as uncontrolled diabetes, bleeding disorders, or low platelet counts
you are not currently taking blood thinners or antiplatelet medications that increase bleeding risk
you do not have a history of brain disease, including stroke or dementia
you can commit to follow-up assessments at hospital discharge and at 3 months after your cardiac arrest

You likely don't qualify if…

you have swelling of the brain (cerebral edema) seen on a CT scan taken right after your heart was restarted
you are currently using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO—a heart-lung support machine)
you cannot stay in the hospital or receive continuous medical care for at least 24 hours after cardiac arrest
you have a history of cirrhosis or severe liver disease
you have an active skin infection or signs of systemic infection or sepsis

What participation looks like

You would have a cerebrospinal fluid sample collected through a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), a safe procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower back to collect a small amount of fluid. This sample is collected once during your hospital stay. You would then be evaluated at hospital discharge and again at 3 months after your cardiac arrest to assess your neurological recovery, using a standard recovery scoring system. The study does not involve taking medications—it is a research study designed to understand what happens at the molecular level after cardiac arrest.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 30, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

South Korea

Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Jung-gu