Neurocritical care
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Cerebral autoregulation (CA) is a physiological mechanism that maintains constant cerebral blood flow regardless of changes in cerebral perfusion pressure and prevents brain damage caused by hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion. In recent decades, researchers have investigated the range of systemic blood pressures and clinical management strategies over which cerebral vasculature modifies intracranial hemodynamics to maintain cerebral perfusion. ⋯ This article examines the technological advances in monitoring techniques and the accuracy of continuous assessment of autoregulation techniques used in intraoperative and intensive care settings today. It also examines how increasing knowledge of CA from recent clinical trials contributes to a greater understanding of secondary brain injury in many disease processes, despite the fact that the lack of robust evidence influencing outcomes has prevented the translation of CA-guided algorithms into clinical practice.
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Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is an uncommon condition in children with potentially serious outcomes. Large epidemiological studies in children with CSVT are few. The objective of this study is to evaluate the epidemiology and in-hospital outcomes of hospitalized children with CSVT in the United States. ⋯ CSVT, which has a U-shaped age distribution, is an uncommon condition in children. Stroke is common in children with CSVT, and it is associated with an increased need for mechanical ventilation and increased mortality. The need for mechanical ventilation is more common in infants, and it is associated with increased mortality across all age groups.
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'Central' fevers are thought to result from disruption of hypothalamic thermoregulatory pathways following severe brain injuries. Bromocriptine, due to its central dopamine receptor agonism, has been hypothesized to have antipyretic effect in this setting. However, clinical evidence for this off-label use is limited to a few case reports. In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the effect of bromocriptine administration on body temperature in acute brain injury patients with suspected central fever. ⋯ Bromocriptine use was associated with modest but statistically significant decline in temperature, with nadir at 72 h post initiation. The findings provide a data driven basis for prospective evaluation.
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Restoration of brain tissue perfusion is a determining factor in the neurological evolution of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hemorrhagic shock (HS). In a porcine model of HS without neurological damage, it was observed that the use of fluids or vasoactive drugs was effective in restoring brain perfusion; however, only terlipressin promoted restoration of cerebral oxygenation and lower expression of edema and apoptosis markers. It is unclear whether the use of vasopressor drugs is effective and beneficial during situations of TBI. The objective of this study is to compare the effects of resuscitation with saline solution and terlipressin on cerebral perfusion and oxygenation in a model of TBI and HS. ⋯ The treatment of hypotension in HS with saline and/or terlipressin cannot restore cerebral perfusion or oxygenation in experimental models of HS and severe TBI. Elevated MAP raises intracranial pressure owing to brain autoregulation dysfunction caused by TBI.