Time is of the essence when controlling internal bleeding following a traumatic injury, which can be done using intravenous medications that induce clotting to prevent further blood loss. Hemostatic nanomaterials are intravenous medications containing nanoparticles that can work efficiently to stem bleeding, but these medications pose the risk of potentially deadly infusion reactions if administered too quickly. Because these medications need to be administered as quickly as possible in emergency situations, researchers at the University of Maryland Baltimore County have worked to reduce the risk of infusion reactions from hemostatic nanocapsules, focusing their attention on the core material these particles are based on.
About 7% of patients experience infusion reactions, which can range in severity from rashes and inflammation to anaphylaxis and respiratory failure. The researchers found that their new nanocapsules based on a polyurethane core reduced the risk of infusion reactions by avoiding complement activation and cytokine upregulation. Additionally, these nanoparticles showed greater bleeding control efficacy by promoting fast clotting and maintaining maximum clot firmness, as shown through rotational thromboelastography (ROTEM) tests. This study was published in Nano Letters.
“We found that using a polyurethane core reduced the markers associated with infusion reactions. These reactions … limit the treatments available in a substantial portion of patients,” said Erin Lavik, one of the paper’s coauthors.
Lavik added that while the team had long attempted to modify the surfaces of the nanoparticles to reduce these reactions, they ultimately found that changing the core material seemed to have a greater impact. This research opens up possibilities for future testing of preclinical models using the hemostatic nanocapsules.