The Curing Coma Campaign: Framing Initial Scientific Challenges—Proceedings of the First Curing Coma Campaign Scientific Advisory Council Meeting

• DOI: 10.1007/s12028-020-01028-9
• Publication Date: 2020-06-23T19:03:46Z
• Authors: J. Javier Provencio; J. Claude Hemphill; Jan Claassen; Brian L. Edlow; Raimund Helbok; Paul M. Vespa; Michael N. Diringer; Len Polizzotto; Lori Shutter; Jose I. Suarez; Robert D. Stevens; Daniel F. Hanley; Yama Akbari; Thomas P. Bleck; Melanie Boly; Brandon Foreman; Joseph T. Giacino; Jed A. Hartings; Theresa Human; Daniel Kondziella; Geoffrey S. F. Ling; Stephan A. Mayer; Molly McNett; David K. Menon; Geert Meyfroidt; Martin M. Monti; Soojin Park; Nader Pouratian; Louis Puybasset; Benjamin Rohaut; Eric S. Rosenthal; Nicholas D. Schiff; Tarek Sharshar; Amy Wagner; John Whyte; DaiWai M. Olson
• Keywords: Critical Care; Consciousness; DISORDERS; Advisory Committees; Clinical Sciences; Clinical Neurology; 610; TRAUMATIC BRAIN-INJURY; Clinical sciences; Nursing; Proof of Concept Study; Endotype; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Critical Care Medicine; Stakeholder Participation; Recovery; Health Services and Systems; General & Internal Medicine; Health Sciences; Humans; Coma; Implementation Science; Clinical Trials as Topic; Neurology & Neurosurgery; Science & Technology; Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Neurological Rehabilitation; Neurosciences; Biomarker; Brain Disorders; 3. Good health; Neurocritical Care Society Curing Coma Campaign; Good Health and Well Being; Proceedings; Neurology; Consciousness Disorders; Neurosciences & Neurology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; WITHDRAWAL; Biomarkers

AbstractComa and disordered consciousness are common manifestations of acute neurological conditions and are among the most pervasive and challenging aspects of treatment in neurocritical care. Gaps exist in patient assessment, outcome prognostication, and treatment directed specifically at improving consciousness and cognitive recovery. In 2019, the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) launched the Curing Coma Campaign in order to address the “grand challenge” of improving the management of patients with coma and decreased consciousness. One of the first steps was to bring together a Scientific Advisory Council including coma scientists, neurointensivists, neurorehabilitationists, and implementation experts in order to address the current scientific landscape and begin to develop a framework on how to move forward. This manuscript describes the proceedings of the first Curing Coma Campaign Scientific Advisory Council meeting which occurred in conjunction with the NCS Annual Meeting in October 2019 in Vancouver. Specifically, three major pillars were identified which should be considered: endotyping of coma and disorders of consciousness, biomarkers, and proof-of-concept clinical trials. Each is summarized with regard to current approach, benefits to the patient, family, and clinicians, and next steps. Integration of these three pillars will be essential to the success of the Curing Coma Campaign as will expanding the “curing coma community” to ensure broad participation of clinicians, scientists, and patient advocates with the goal of identifying and implementing treatments to fundamentally improve the outcome of patients.