Denver Health advances trauma care in national study
When every second counts, the right treatment at the right time can be the difference between life and death. Trauma patients in critical condition rely on cutting-edge research and innovative care to improve survival and recovery outcomes.
As one of the nation’s top Level I trauma centers, the Ernest E. Moore Shock Trauma Center at Denver Health is participating in the Calcium and Vasopressin Following Injury Early Resuscitation (CAVALIER) trial. This study examines whether administering calcium, vasopressin or both earlier in care can improve outcomes for trauma patients.
Funded by the Department of Defense and conducted at sites across the nation, the CAVALIER trial focuses on patients who experience severe blood loss from trauma.
Calcium and vasopressin are widely used in trauma care: Calcium helps restore the body’s ability to clot when depleted by blood loss, while vasopressin stabilizes dangerously low blood pressure by tightening blood vessels. The study aims to determine whether administering one or both treatments earlier in care improves survival rates and recovery outcomes.
“This study is a critical step in advancing trauma care, not just for our patients at Denver Health but for trauma patients across the country,” said Ernest E. Moore, MD, trauma surgeon and principal investigator of the study. “By investigating how these treatments can be used earlier, we’re helping shape the future of care for critically injured patients, whether they’re civilians or military personnel.”
CAVALIER is part of the Linking Investigations in Trauma and Emergency Services (LITES) network, which leads innovative research to advance trauma care. The trial uses double-blind methodology, meaning neither the patient nor the provider knows whether calcium, vasopressin, both or a placebo is administered — an approach that guarantees unbiased, scientifically rigorous findings.
“We are a learning health system,” said Andres Camacho, MD, emergency medicine physician, associate director of paramedics and co-investigator on the study. “Our paramedics play a critical role in this study, which will provide insights that directly shape how we care for trauma patients.”
Patients transported to Denver Health with life-threatening blood loss who meet eligibility criteria will be enrolled in the study. Because of the urgency of treating critically injured patients, the study operates under the Food and Drug Administration’s Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) guidelines. These guidelines allow researchers to enroll patients when immediate consent is not feasible. To ensure transparency, Denver Health offers community members the opportunity to provide feedback on EFIC studies through public comment sessions. Community members can opt out of being enrolled in the study by wearing an opt-out bracelet.
To learn more about the study, visit CAVALIER Study – Denver Health.