Exploring New Solutions for Inhalation Injury Recovery

Shriners Children’s Texas is embarking on an important new research study that could help improve care for children with inhalation injuries. This study has been designed to explore the potential benefits of a drug called racemic epinephrine for patients experiencing these life-threatening conditions.

Inhalation injuries occur from exposure to smoke, toxic gases or extreme heat, such as in a house fire. The injuries worsen quickly, leading to conditions like respiratory distress, which requires immediate medical intervention.

Jamie Mehrer, clinical research program coordinator at Shriners Children’s Texas, said her team will be looking at how racemic epinephrine, a drug already approved by the FDA, specifically helps patients recover quicker. Racemic epinephrine is a form of adrenaline that helps open the airways, allowing patients to breathe easier. This drug is often used in emergencies to treat allergic reactions, but Shriners Children’s Texas is investigating how effective it is for patients with inhalation injuries.

“This study is all about making sure we’re using the best tools to help these children recover,” Mehrer explained. “We want to see if administering racemic epinephrine improves their outcomes – if they recover faster, or experience fewer complications.”

Notably, this study builds on a pilot clinical trial conducted at Shriners Children’s Texas in 2017, where racemic epinephrine was given to a small group of patients with inhalation injuries. “The results from that early trial suggested we needed to do a larger study to see if the drug could really make a difference for more patients, and that’s exactly what we’re doing now,” Jamie said.