PIs: DaMarcus Baymon, MD, and Jong Woo Lee, MD, PHD

Using Targeted Temperature Management, this clinical trial aims to determine the ideal cooling duration to promote neurological recovery for adult comatose survivors of cardiac arrest. Participants are rapidly cooled to <34°C using a definitive temperature control device and are randomized to undergo 12, 24, or 48 hours of cooling. Assessment of neurological outcomes and patient recovery will elucidate the shortest cooling duration that can provide maximum treatment outcomes, as well as if these results vary between cardiac arrest presentations with shockable versus non-shockable rhythms.

PI: Dana Im, MD, MPH, MPHIL

This cross-sectional study assesses the impact of psychiatric occupational therapy (OT) on the symptoms and experiences of patients presenting to the BWH ED for behavioral health emergencies. Psychiatric OT introduces coping skills and sensory modulation strategies using everyday activities with the goal of de-escalating patients and promoting self-management of symptoms that can extend beyond the hospital setting. This study hopes to demonstrate how the introduction of psychiatric OT in the ED can convert boarding time to active treatment time to ultimately promote patient outcomes.

PIs: Michael Filbin, MD, MSc, and Peter Hou, MD

This study assesses the performance of a whole genome sequencing centered diagnostic approach, compared to standard blood culture, using blood samples from patients with or suspected to have bacteremia, fungemia, or sepsis. Current assays depend on a positive blood culture to initially isolate pathogenic bacteria. This approach takes at least 12-36 hours. To accelerate this process, the company Day Zero Diagnostics (DZD) developed an approach using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and machine learning to rapidly identify circulating organisms and predict antibiotic resistance based on genomic data. By offering identification and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiling within hours of presentation instead of days, these methods hold the promise to improve the care of bacteremic patients.

PI: Edy Kim, MD, PHD

The aim of DTCC is to develop a database of clinical and biologic information in subjects with critical illness and cardiac arrest of varying etiology, in order to provide information about the biology, outcomes, risk factors, prognostic indicators and response to therapy during a period of critical illness and cardiac arrest. Secondly, it aims to develop a library of tissues (blood cells, plasma, RNA, DNA etc…) with the purpose of performing future analyses of disease pathogenesis and markers of disease progression in subjects with cardiac arrest. 

PIs: Margaret Samuels-Kalow, MD, and Regan H. Marsh, MD, MPH

NCT Number: NCT05688982

MOLAR is an NIH-sponsored study that seeks to determine how to best connect adult and pediatric patients with unmet dental needs with social and dental resources after leaving the BWH and BWFH EDs. Participants are randomized to one of three arms in the study, in which they will receive general resources, geographically targeted resources, or will be connected with a Patient Care Navigator to help address their social and dental needs. Participants will self-report their dental health, resource utilization, and ability to schedule dental care appointments through follow-up surveys, which will elucidate the long-term impacts of each intervention.  

PIs: Charlotte Goldfine, MD, and Peter Chai, MD, MMS

This semi-structured qualitative interview study explores the perceptions of various digital health interventions among adult patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). These technologies include a digital pill system (DPS): an ingestible sensor measuring medication adherence; wearable alcohol sensors: a patch or device that measures real-time alcohol levels via sweat; and smartphone apps that track risk behavior or connect patients with resources. Interviews with 30 patients admitted to the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP) and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH) provides investigates perceptions towards digital health technologies for AUD treatment, explores the most beneficial aspects, and examines the behaviors each intervention may motivate among individuals with AUD.

PIs: Joji Suzuki, MD, and Peter Chai, MD, MMS

NCT Number: NCT05661669

STARK-ED is a pilot double-blind clinical trial that aims to assess the safety and tolerability of ketamine for patients with severe Alcohol Use Disorder presenting to the BWFH ED for inpatient detoxification admission to the Addiction Recovery Program. Participants are randomized to receive a single-dose ketamine infusion or a saline placebo. This study will follow participants for 12 months to monitor the long-term safety of ketamine administration for AUD and to elucidate the preliminary efficacy of ketamine for alcohol-related outcomes, including abstinence, engagement with outpatient treatment, and other behavioral changes.   

PI: Nathaniel Harnett, PhD

In partnership with the NATELab at McLean Hospital, we are referring patients who may qualify for this study on the development of post-traumatic stress disorder following qualifying traumatic events such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, etc. NATELab explores whether neuroimaging following trauma may be predictive of PTSD development and/or indicate appropriate treatments.  

PI: Peter Hou, MD

This is a CDC-sponsored public health surveillance study to assess the effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosters among healthcare personnel at BWH. This study is also being conducted at 18 other U.S. hospitals. Through review of self-reported surveys, along with participants’ vaccination, testing, and healthcare utilization records, this project aims to elucidate how SARS-CoV-2 vaccination can reduce COVID-19 infection, duration, and severity. 

PI: Christopher Baugh, MD, MBA

This study is evaluating the clinical utility of Alere NT-proBNP for Alinity I system assay as an aid in the diagnosis and assessment of severity of individuals suspected or having heart failure.

PI: Kei Ouchi, MD, MPH

This is an ED clinician-led, behavioral intervention designed to engage seriously ill yet clinically stable older adults in the ED to address advance care planning (ACP) with their outpatient clinicians. This study is a randomized controlled trial that assesses the effect of ED GOAL on increasing ACP engagement (self-reported and/or in the electronic record) one month after leaving the ED. Participants who are randomized into the ED GOAL intervention group also receive semi-structured interviews in order to identify the patient-perceived benefits and obstacles of ACP conversations after ED GOAL.

PI: Andrew Goldsmith, MD, MBA

This study hypothesizes that pulmonary congestion (i.e. B-lines) will decrease after diuresis and correlate with other commonly used pulmonary congestion markets (i.e. weights). The goal of this study is to create automatic quantification of total B-lines on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) using retrospective lung ultrasound data available. Simultaneously patients are enrolled in the emergency department for observational study by performing a lung POCUS on patients with volume overload both pre and post lung ultrasound.

PI: Guruprasad Jambaulikar, MBBS, MPH

This is a Phase-1, prospective, single-arm, open-label study to evaluate the performance of Clintech Operation and Molecular Biomarker Measurement Device (Lab Clasp) device as compared to venous lactate values from concurrently collected blood samples.

PI: Peter Chai, MD, MMS

This study is a prospective cohort study that recruits residents enrolled in the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Program (HAEMR) and attending physicians in the Department of Emergency Medicine of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. At the time of enrollment, participants complete a baseline sociodemographic survey and establish a goal, or “wish”, to be realized within three months. Pairs of participants later engage in a wishbone contest, where the person who ends up with the bigger half of the bone is the designated “winner.” Participants are then followed forward for three months to determine if their previously specified wishes are realized.

PI: Peter Chai, MD, MMS

NCT Number: NCT05796362

This is an exploratory study to describe the pharmacokinetics of the azithromycin oral and rectal oleogel in humans compared to the reference oral drug to (Zithromax) assess the impact of the novel formulation on bioavailability. The investigators will perform a randomized, balanced, single dose, three-treatment, three-period, crossover oral bioavailability study under fasted conditions to evaluate the safety and tolerability of azithromycin oleogel and compare the bioavailability of the azithromycin oleogel to the reference drug.

PIs: Charlotte Goldfine, MD, and Peter Chai, MD, MMS

With this single arm observation trail we are hoping to gain a better understanding of the preferences and experiences of individuals who present to the Emergency Department with alcohol use disorder to better evaluate them during their care. The main study aim is to identify barriers in linkage to treatment, evaluate their preferences and goals for their ED visit, and assess their impressions of and interest in alcohol detoxification programs. Our secondary aim is to assess how those goals, preferences, and ability to access detoxification program impact ED revisit rates. To better understand these factors, we are asking interested participants to consent to a blood draw, urine sample collection, and to fill out a survey questionnaire.

PI: Peter Chai, MD, MMS

This is a single-site cross-sectional survey study that involves participants at the ED who have had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) test within the last 6 months. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of various co-occurring psychosocial conditions that enhance the risk for HIV through a survey form.