Can a hormone shot help comatose cardiac arrest survivors wake up?
NCT ID NCT00999583
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 3 trial tested whether high doses of epoetin alpha, a drug that boosts red blood cells and may protect the brain, could improve recovery in 500 comatose adults who survived a cardiac arrest. Half received the drug plus standard care, half got standard care alone. The main goal was to see if more patients reached the best level of brain function by day 60.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- epoetin alpha (a lab-made version of erythropoietin, a hormone that boosts red blood cells and may protect the brain)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a treatment that helps more people wake up with good brain function after a cardiac arrest.
- What could go wrong
- This trial is already completed, so results are known. The drug may not improve outcomes and could raise the risk of blood clots. The study is also limited to a specific type of cardiac arrest.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for COMATOSE SURVIVORS OF CARDIAC ARREST are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Medical intensive care unit of Cochin-St Vincent de Paul university Hospital
Paris, 75679, France
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.