University of Utah - CNC

Better Stroke Trials, BETTER STROKE TREATMENT The Department of Neurology at University of Utah Hospital became the latest University of Utah recipient of a grant from the National Institute for Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS). Effective September 30, 2013, the department will receive $250,000 every year for five years to become one of 25 Regional Stroke Coordinating Centers nationwide—and the only one in the Intermountain West. "Stroke is the number one cause of disability in the United States," says Jennifer Majersik, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Director of the Stroke Center at University of Utah Hospital. "We desperately need to reduce the incidence of stroke and to improve therapy. By participating in these trials, the community will be able to find ways to prevent, treat, and recover from stroke." Prior to the initiation of the NINDS Regional Stroke Trials Network, every clinical trial for stroke research required an extensive start-up effort, including hiring new research coordinators, arranging legal contracts, and obtaining ethical review boards. Now, Regional Stroke Coordinating Centers will be able to retain their top-quality staff members from trial to trial, utilize centralized ethics review boards, and work under one legal agreement—all of which will increase trial efficiency, stretching limited funding further. "University of Utah Hospital has long been a leader in stroke care," Dr. Majersik says. "To now be a part of a national network dedicated to improving care across the country helps solidify our commitment to improving care in this region." Visit the Clinical Neurosciences Center's stroke website at healthcare.utah.edu/neurosciences/ neurology/neurology_stroke/. $250,000 EVERY YEAR FOR 5 YEARS GM | 2 Defining Optimal Treatment for Patients with Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the most common cause of spinal cord problems in people older than age 60, leading to significant disability. It is caused by degenerative changes in the neck, causing compression of the spinal cord. Symptoms include loss of balance, neck pain and stiffness, numbness in the arms, and weakness in the hands and legs. Surgery for CSM can result in long hospital stays and high medical costs. In fact, in 2011, research published in the journal Neurosurgery found no clear consensus on which surgical approach provides the best medical outcomes and best value for patients with CSM. To better understand the nature of this condition, University of Utah Hospital's Clinical Neurosciences Center (CNC) is proud to be a part of a nationally recognized multicenter initiative sponsored by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to research and compare surgical approaches in patients with CSM. The Neurosciences Center will receive up to $150,000 in funding and will be one of 10 sites in this randomized controlled trial. "We have yet to define the best strategies for treating patients with this costly and significantly disabling disease," says Erica Bisson, MD, FAANS, Neurosurgeon, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Medical Director at the CNC, and the site Principal Investigator. "This study is specifically designed to determine the gold standard surgical approach for treating CSM."

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