The Use of GFAP and UCH-L1 Biomarkers in Clinical Practice for the Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (BIO-TC-L)

November 5, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Grenoble

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a frequent reason for emergency department visits. Although most patients have a normal brain CT scan, this examination is still widely ordered, exposing patients to radiation, overloading imaging services and increasing care costs. The decision to perform a brain CT scan is usually based on validated clinical decision rules, such as the Canadian CT Head Rule (CCHR) or the New Orleans Criteria (NOC). However, several studies including a recent meta-analysis suggest significant CT overuse in the management of mTBI.

In recent years, biomarkers specific to brain injury mainly Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Ubiquitin Carboxy-terminal Hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) have shown their ability to reliably rule out the presence of clinically significant intracranial injuries.

The combined use of GFAP and UCH-L1 has been recommended by the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (SFAR) and the French Society of Emergency Medicine (SFMU) in patients with mild traumatic brain injury at intermediate risk of intracranial bleeding, in order to limit the number of brain CT scans. Although prospective observational studies have evaluated the value of using these biomarkers, no study has evaluated their implementation in routine clinical practice.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The study will be conducted in the Emergency Department (ED) of Grenoble University Hospital.

The main objective of this prospective, single-center, observational study is therefore to analyze the use of GFAP and UCH-L1 biomarkers in routine clinical practice at Grenoble University Hospital to confirm their clinical utility and safety.

All adult patients presenting to the Grenoble Alpes University Hospital emergency department for mild traumatic brain injury will be enrolled and analyzed during the study period.

Data will be collected from electronic medical records. To assess patient's outcomes 1 month after their emergency department visit, a follow-up will telephone call will be conducted for the subgroup of patients who had a negative biomarker result without an initial CT scan.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
800

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • France
    • Isere
      • Grenoble, Isere, France
        • Grenoble University Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Nicolas SEGOND, MD PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Damien VIGLINO, MD PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Dorra GUERGOUR, MD PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Carole CHIRICA, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patient admitted in the Emergency department of Grenoble University Hospital for mild traumatic brain injury over a 4-month enrollment period from the start of the study

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients over 18 years admitted to the emergency department of Grenoble University Hospital for mild traumatic brain injury over a 4-month enrollment period from the start of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with penetrating head injury
  • Patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score between 3 and 12 on admission to the emergency department
  • Patients unable to communicate or who do not speak French
  • Persons covered by Articles L1121-6 and L1121-8 of the French Public Health Code (CSP) (persons deprived of liberty by administrative or judicial decision, unable to understand the protocol)
  • Patients already enrolled in the study during a previous emergency department visit
  • Patients not affiliated to the french social security system

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: COHORT
  • Time Perspectives: PROSPECTIVE

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
All adult patients admitted in the Emergency Department for mild traumatic brain injury

All adult patients presenting to the Grenoble Alpes University Hospital emergency department for mild traumatic brain injury will be enrolled and analyzed during the study period
Other: Follow-up telephone call after one month

To assess patient's outcomes 1 month after their emergency department visit, a follow-up will telephone call will be conducted for the subgroup of patients who had a negative biomarker result without an initial CT scan.

Other Names:
  • A follow-up telephone call after one month for the subgroup of patients who had a negative biomarker result without an initial CT scan

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The proportion of patients who underwent GFAP and UCH-L1 testing, and in whom a brain CT scan was avoided following a negative result in accordance with current guidelines
Time Frame: 1 month

The proportion of patients who underwent GFAP and UCH-L1 testing, and in whom a brain CT scan was avoided following a negative result in accordance with current guidelines
1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of protocol deviations
Time Frame: 24 hours

Proportion of protocol deviations (TBI wrongly classified as mild, Biomarkers wrongly measured, Biomarkers not measured when indicated, Brain CT scan wrongly performed, Brain CT scan not performed when indicated).
24 hours
Calculation of the time from emergency department arrival to biomarker ordering
Time Frame: 24 hours

Calculation of the time from emergency department arrival to biomarker ordering (the time from biomarker ordering to result reporting).
24 hours
Assess the safety of using brain biomarkers in routine clinical practice, based on the 1-month clinical outcome of patients who had a negative measurement without an initial CT scan
Time Frame: 1 month

Proportion of patient who returned to the emergency department or to their general practitioner for a reason related to head trauma within one month of the initial visit. And proportion of CT scans showing a significant intracranial injury among those performed within the month
1 month
Evaluate the prognostic performance of brain biomarkers for ruling out intracranial injury, in the overall population and by age
Time Frame: 1 month

Calculation of prognostic performance indicators (area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) of brain biomarkers for ruling out intracranial injury, in the overall population and by age
1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Grenoble

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Nicolas SEGOND, MD PhD, University Hospital, Grenoble

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 5, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 5, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 29, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 5, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 38RC26.0261
  • IDRCB : 2026-A01713-48 (Other Identifier: CPP Est III (French Ethics Committees))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The international writing and publication rules (The Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts of the ICMJE, April 2010) will be followed. The minimum anonymized source data for performing the statistical analysis will be made public at the time of publication, with the article, or deposited in an appropriate public database. Other anonymized data may be available from the principal investigator upon reasonable request and with the consent of the sponsor.

In accordance with the French law n ° 2002-303 of March 4th, 2002, the subjects can be informed, at their request, of the overall results of the research. In this study, the investigators commit to individually communicating the overall results to each subject participating in the research by a short (popularized) summary and associated with a copy of the scientific article.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

At the time of publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

The international writing and publication rules (The Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts of the ICMJE, April 2010) will be followed. Moreover, In accordance with the French law n ° 2002-303 of March 4th, 2002

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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