Researchers at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health are conducting a clinical research study to determine if children who have had concussions may experience permanent changes affecting their blood cells.
“Prior research done on the OU Health Sciences Center campus has shown that adults who have had concussions have permanent changes affecting their platelets,” said Robert Johnson, M.D., FAAP, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, lead investigator of the study. “We are looking to see if this might also be happening in children.”
Johnson explained that the short term goal of the study is to see if concussions affect blood cells and cause inflammation in children. “Long-term research may involve assessing whether these changes affect clotting or other biologic dysfunctions in the future.”
Children, ages one year to 18, who have recently been diagnosed with a concussion, are being sought for the study. Participants must have had a normal CT Scan and be able to give a blood sample.
Qualified participants may receive examinations from concussion experts at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, guidance on returning to school and play and compensation for time and travel.
This study is funded by the Pediatric Trauma Society. For more information, call (405) 271-2429.
