Simple blood draw may spot brain damage in mild head injuries

NCT ID NCT02639923

Completed Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Harald Wolf, MD Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at whether tiny molecules in the blood, called microRNAs, can help tell if someone with a mild head injury has actual brain damage visible on a CT scan. Researchers took blood samples from 155 people with mild traumatic brain injury and compared those with and without brain lesions, plus a healthy control group. The goal was to see if these blood markers could replace or reduce the need for CT scans, but the results showed no significant differences between the groups.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a simple blood test to quickly identify which mild head injury patients have hidden brain damage.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study, not a treatment trial. The biomarkers tested did not show significant differences between groups, so the approach may not be useful in practice.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Brain Injuries, Traumatic traumatic brain injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BRAIN INJURIES, TRAUMATIC

Contacts and locations

Locations

Medical University of Vienna

Vienna, State of Vienna, A-1090, Austria

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