Setting new standards for stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) care
OBI has also played a pivotal role in reshaping national guidelines for the treatment of stroke, the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. Through its research on the clot-busting drug alteplase – directed by Ying Xian, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurology and Section Head of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases – OBI researchers challenged longstanding exclusions that prevented many patients on blood thinners from receiving the only FDA-approved medical therapy for acute ischemic stroke.
Dr. Xian’s team analyzed data from more than 160,000 stroke patients in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke registry, and the findings revealed that patients on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) had better recoveries and no increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage, directly contradicting previous assumptions. This research has had a profound impact on clinical practice.
Additionally, OBI’s Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke team has a robust portfolio in leading federally funded comparative effectiveness research (CER) and patient-centered outcomes studies addressing crucial questions regarding carotid disease, intracranial large vessel disease, and the effect of glucose control and hypertension in acute stroke patients. The combination of cutting-edge research and advanced clinical care translates into the highest level of care for patients at UT Southwestern’s Robert D. Rogers Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, which recently received The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval recertification for the fifth consecutive time.
Complementing its acute stroke care, UT Southwestern’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) is ranked among the top 20 in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The department’s inpatient rehabilitation program specializes in stroke, spinal cord injury, and TBI recovery, with a strong emphasis on restoring patients’ independence and quality of life.
With growing awareness of the risk of concussion (a TBI) in contact sports, UT Southwestern has launched several research efforts to gauge the effects on student athletes as well as former college and pro athletes. A registry known as ConTex was established to gather information on concussions sustained by middle and high school athletes across Texas. Another study, called the College Level Aging Athlete Study (CLEAATS), gathers data, including concussion histories and details about mood and memory concerns, from former college athletes ages 50 and older.