By Tim Bonfield
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The University of Cincinnati plans to participate later this year in a national study of an experimental brain injury treatment - but first it needs to gather public comments because the unconscious patients would not be able to give their consent.

The research - called the National Acute Brain Injury Study, Hypothermia II - involves over the next four years enrolling up to 25 Tristate patients with severe brain injuries who are rushed to the trauma center at University Hospital.

To get federal permission to join the study, UC must provide public notice and seek comment. Getting permission will allow doctors to enroll those injured and unconscious in the study without their consent if next-of-kin cannot be reached within 60 minutes.

Unconscious head trauma victims often come to the hospital with falling body temperature. In the study, one group will be treated while their body temperature is kept below normal - 91.4 degrees - for 48 hours. The other group will be treated the standard way, with their body temperature raised to a normal 98.6 degrees.

The theory behind the study is that cooler temperatures may inhibit the release of toxic chemicals that cause further damage after a brain injury.

The national study is seeking a total of 220 patients through nine medical centers. A previous five-year study, completed in 2001, indicated that 48 percent of those whose bodies were kept cool had a good recovery, compared with 24 percent of those whose bodies were warmed.

The Cincinnati part of the study - to be led by Dr. Raj Narayan of the Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute - would start in late October. A series of town meetings will be held in September.

To comment on the plan, call Suzanne Kempisty-Cliver at 558-3590 or check the study Web site at www.mayfieldclinic.com/hypothermia.

E-mail tbonfield@enquirer.com