Robert D. Stevens, MD

Associate Professor
Departments of Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Radiology
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Division of Neurosciences Critical Care
600 North Wolfe St, Meyer 8-140
Baltimore, MD 21287
Phone: 410-955-7481
Fax: 410-614-7903
E-Mail: rstevens@jhmi.edu
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Dr. Robert Stevens is a specialist in neurological critical care.  His research centers on two major domains. The first is pathogenesis and neuroplasticity of acute brain injury, with a special emphasis on traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and long-term disability in children and young adults. Dr Stevens’ group is using advanced magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiological methods to probe mechanisms of neural damage, neuropsychological dysfunction, and brain plasticity following acute traumatic insults. A derivative of this research is the study of patients with coma and consciousness disorders. These disorders develop in a variety of settings, including traumatic brain injury, cardiac arrest, stroke, seizures, and infectious or inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. Dr. Stevens is working on clinical tools and advanced brain imaging methods to monitor and predict recovery of consciousness-impaired patients, with the goal of identifying new paradigms to guide regenerative therapy.
Dr. Stevens' second research focus is neurological complications of critical illness. Severe illnesses such as sepsis and acute lung injury are a major cause of dysfunction and damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. Dr Stevens’ team has been studying the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and impact of intensive care unit-acquired neuromuscular weakness (ICUAW) and critical illness brain dysfunction, including delirium and coma.

Professional Affiliations
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Society for Neuroscience
Society of Critical Care Medicine
European Society of Intensive Care Medicine
American Heart Association
The Neurocritical Care Society
Society for Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical Care
American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists
American Society of Anesthesiologists

Selected Publications

1. Stevens RD, Pronovost PJ. The spectrum of encephalopathy in critical illness. Semin Neurol 2006; 26:440–451.
2. Stevens RD, Nyquist PA. Coma, delirium, and cognitive dysfunction in critical illness. Crit Care Clin 2006; 22:787–804.
3. Stevens RD, Dowdy DW, Michaels RK, Mendez-Tellez PA, Pronovost PJ, Needham DM. Neuromuscular dysfunction acquired in critical illness. A systematic review. Intensive Care Med 2007; 33:1876–1891.
4. Koenig MA, Bryan M, Lewin JL 3rd, Mirski MA, Geocadin RG, Stevens RD. Reversal of brain herniation with hypertonic saline. Neurology 2008; 70:1023–1029.
5. Pustavoitau A, Stevens RD. Mechanisms of neurologic failure in critical illness. Crit Care Clin 2008; 24:1–24.
6. Stevens RD, Lazaridis C, Chalela JA. The role of mechanical ventilation in acute brain injury. Neurol Clin 2008; 26:543–563.
7. Stevens RD, Nyquist PA. Types of brain dysfunction in critical illness. Neurol Clin 2008; 26:469–486.
8. Stevens RD, Pustavoitau A, Chalela JA. Brain imaging in intensive care medicine. Semin Neurol 28:631–644, 2008.
9. Donahue MJ, Stevens RD, de Boorder M, Pekar JJ, Hendrikse J, van Zijl PC. Hemodynamic changes after visual stimulation and breath holding provide evidence for an uncoupling of cerebral blood flow and volume from oxygen metabolism. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 29:176–185, 2009.
10. Donahue MJ, van Laar PJ, van Zijl PC, Stevens RD, Hendrikse J. Vascular space occupancy (VASO) cerebral blood volume-weighted MRI identifies hemodynamic impairment in patients with carotid artery disease. J Magn Reson Imaging 2009; 29:718–724.
11. Stevens RD, Naval NS, Mirski MA, Citerio G, Andrews PA. Intensive care of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: an international survey. Intensive Care Med 35:1556–1566, 2009.
12. Sharshar T, Bastuji-Garin S, Stevens RD, Durand M, Malissin I, Rodriguez P, Cerf C, OUtin H, De Jonghe B. Presence and severity of intensive care unit-acquired paresis at time of awakening are associated with increased intensive care unit and hospital mortality. Crit Care Med 37:3047–3053, 2009.
13. Stevens RD, Marshall S, Cornblath DC, De Johghe B, Ali N, Needham DM, Sharshar T. A framework for diagnosing and classifying intensive care unit-acquired weakness. Crit Care Med 37[Suppl.]:S299 –S308, 2009.
14. Iacobone E, Bailly-Salin J, Polito, A, Friedman, D, Stevens, RD, Sharshar T. Sepsis-associated encephalopathy and its differential diagnosis. Crit Care Med 37[Suppl.]: S331–S336, 2009.
15. Duckworth JL, Stevens RD. Imaging brain Trauma. Curr Opin Crit Care 16:92–97, 2010.
16. Sharshar T, Bastuji-Garin S, De Jonghe B, Stevens RD, Polito A, Maxime V, Rodriguez P, Cerf, C, Outin H, MD3, Touraine P, MD, Laborde K, Hormonal status and ICU-acquired paresis in critically ill patients. Intensive Care Med, 2010, in press.

Collaborating Investigators
Peter van Zijl, PhD
Jim Pekar, PhD
Peter Barker, PhD
Manus Donahue, PhD
Susumu Mori, PhD
Josh Duckworth, MD
Aliaksei Pustavoitau, MD
Romer Geocadin, MD
Robert Hoesch, MD, PhD
Dale Needham, MD, PhD
Tarek Sharshar, MD, PhD
Louis Puybasset, MD, PhD

Honors
Society of Critical Care Medicine, Educational Scholarship Award, 2007