New Blood Test to Diagnose Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Researchers for the United States Army have developed a blood test that can detect even the mildest forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that might normally be missed by doctors and, if left untreated, could lead to permanent brain damage for the patient. Although the test has been developed for combat troops, it will also be useful for the population at large for many kinds of hidden injuries, like those resulting from sports and even “shaken baby syndrome,” according to the report from USA Today.

The majority of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild TBI, but studies have shown that if another brain injury occurs shortly after the initial injury, the injury will be multiplied and the damage can even be permanent. Having a blood test at their disposal means that doctors will be less likely to miss the milder forms of TBI and less apt to send a patient home without closer observation.

In an Army study done in cooperation with Florida-based Banyan Biomarkers, Inc., a company created by former faculty member of the University of Florida, a simple blood test has been able to accurately diagnose mild traumatic brain injury in 34 patients. The test looks for unique proteins that spill into the bloodstream after injury and is akin to the test that doctors currently use to diagnose heart disease.

“This will in fact do for brain injury what that test did for chest pain. It’s going to change medicine entirely,” said General Peter Chiarelli, the Army vice chief of staff.

Researchers are now preparing for a large trial of 1,200 patients from across the U.S. as part of the effort to win FDA approval for the blood test. The patients will be drawn from 30 trauma centers across the country and funding for the trial has already been granted. In a press released, Banyan Biomarkers announced that it was awarded a $26.3 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to further develop their point of care blood test to detect traumatic brain injury.

Jackson Streeter, M.D. and CEO of Banyan Biomarkers, Inc. stated, “We are pleased to be working with the Department of Defense to develop a blood test for TBI. Properly diagnosing TBI will help medical professionals triage and treat our soldiers more effectively.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually in the United States, resulting in more than 230,000 hospitalizations, 50,000 deaths, and 80,000–90,0000 people experiencing permanent disability from their injury. Currently, 5.3 million Americans live with TBI-related disabilities, compared with 4 million who are disabled by Alzheimer disease. The TBI number could actually be much higher, given the number who do not seek medical attention and those that do, but whose diagnosis is missed because the injuries don’t show up on medical imaging scans or because patients tend to downplay the symptoms of headaches and dizziness.

In the military, it is estimated that up to 20% of combat veterans have suffered some degree of traumatic brain injury while in Iraq or Afghanistan. Officially, the Pentagon reports that approximately 115,000 soldiers have suffered mild traumatic brain injury, while a RAND Corp study has reported that number is closer to 300,000 troops, mostly due to concussions from roadside bombings. If these soldiers are receiving repeat brain injuries without diagnosis and treatment, the possibilities of permanent brain damage is greatly increased. This new blood test could be critical in preventing untold numbers of brain injured soldiers from returning to combat too soon.

If you’re interested in learning more about Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers returning with traumatic brain injuries, The Washington Post had an extensive report earlier this month that is filled with some great information, including the science behind traumatic brain injuries.