Neurocritical care
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Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been used to estimate ICP noninvasively (nICP); however, its accuracy varies depending on different types of intracranial hypertension. Given the high specificity of TCD to detect cerebrovascular events, this study aimed to compare four TCD-based nICP methods during plateau waves of ICP. ⋯ Changes of ICP in time domain during plateau waves were replicated by nICP methods with strong correlations. In addition, the methods presented high performance for detection of intracranial hypertension. However, absolute accuracy for noninvasive ICP assessment using TCD is still low and requires further improvement.
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While systolic dysfunction has been observed following traumatic brain injury (TBI), the relationship between early hemodynamics and the development of systolic dysfunction has not been investigated. Our study aimed to determine the early hemodynamic profile that is associated with the development of systolic dysfunction after TBI. ⋯ Patients who develop systolic dysfunction following TBI have a distinctive hemodynamic profile, with early hypertension and tachycardia, followed by a decrease in blood pressure over the first day after TBI. This profile suggests an early maladaptive catecholamine-excess state as a potential underlying mechanism of TBI-induced systolic dysfunction.
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Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) contributes to morbidity following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage; however, its etiology remains poorly understood. DCI is not only a consequence of angiographic vasospasm, but also involves microthrombosis and neuroinflammation, two events with unexplained phenomenology. The vascular endothelial glycocalyx mediates platelet aggregation and endothelial cell-leukocyte interactions and may play an important role in DCI pathogenesis. ⋯ These preliminary data support the hypothesis that glycocalyx injury occurs in SAH, and might contribute to DCI by regulating cerebral microthrombosis and delayed neuroinflammation.