Impact of Adding Beta Blockers Propranolol or Carvedilol to Standard Care for Adults With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of different beta blockers on patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury TBI. This trial compares propranolol, which blocks beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors, with carvedilol, which blocks these receptors plus alpha-1 receptors. The study aims to understand how these differences in receptor targeting might influence brain injury outcomes and survival after TBI. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups a control group receiving standard care without beta blockers, a propranolol group starting at 20 mg three times daily with dose increases until the heart rate is under 100 beats per minute up to 640 mgday, or a carvedilol group starting at 6.25 mg three times daily with similar dose increases up to 100 mgday. All doses are given orally or via feeding tube alongside standard care, continuing until the end of treatment. During the study, participants will be monitored for heart rate and vital signs. The main outcome measured is the incidence of death within 14 days of hospital admission. The trial includes adults aged 18 to 75 with moderate or severe TBI confirmed by CT scan and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 or less. The study uses a single-blind design and is sponsored by Mansoura University.

Evaluating the Impact of Adjuvant Use of Beta Blockers on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury