Neurocritical care
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In traumatic brain injury (TBI), large between-center differences in treatment and outcome for patients managed in the intensive care unit (ICU) have been shown. The aim of this study is to explore if European neurotrauma centers can be clustered, based on their treatment preference in different domains of TBI care in the ICU. ⋯ Although correlations between treatment policies within domains were found, the failure to cluster hospitals indicates that a specific treatment choice within a domain is not a proxy for other treatment choices within or outside the domain. These results imply that studying the effects of specific TBI interventions on outcome can be based on between-center variation without being substantially confounded by other treatments.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of seizure burden in patients with super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) by using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG). ⋯ Both qEEG experts and novices had a high sensitivity but a low specificity for seizure detection in patients with SRSE. qEEG could be a useful tool for qEEG experts to estimate seizure burden in patients with SRSE.
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We present an exploratory analysis of the occurrence of early corticothalamic connectivity disruption after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and its correlation with clinical outcomes. ⋯ EEG spectral-power-based classification demonstrates early corticothalamic connectivity disruption following aneurysmal SAH and may be a mechanism involved in early brain injury. Furthermore, the extent of this disruption appears to be associated with functional outcome and in-hospital mortality in patients with aneurysmal SAH and appears to be a potentially useful predictive tool that must be validated prospectively.
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Observational Study
Antiseizure Medication Treatment and Outcomes in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Undergoing Continuous EEG Monitoring.
Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) with electroencephalographic epileptiform activity (seizures, periodic and rhythmic patterns, and sporadic discharges) are frequently treated with antiseizure medications (ASMs). However, the safety and effectiveness of ASM treatment for epileptiform activity has not been established. We used observational data to investigate the effectiveness of ASM treatment in patients with aSAH undergoing continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) to develop a causal hypothesis for testing in prospective trials. ⋯ Our findings suggest the testable hypothesis that continuing ASMs in patients with aSAH with cEEG abnormalities does not improve functional outcomes. This hypothesis should be tested in prospective randomized studies.
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The present study explores the frequency, diagnostic approach, and therapeutic management of cerebral vasospasm in a cohort of children with moderate-to-severe traumatic and nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). ⋯ These findings indicate that cerebral vasospasm exists in pediatrics, particularly after nontraumatic SAH. The use of TCD and milrinone may help in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of cerebral vasospasm.