Annals of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of Different Early Oxygenation Levels on Clinical Outcomes of Patients Presenting in the Emergency Department With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
Despite the almost universal administration of supplemental oxygen in patients presenting in the emergency department (ED) with severe traumatic brain injury, optimal early oxygenation levels are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effect of different early oxygenation levels on the clinical outcomes of patients presenting in the emergency department with severe traumatic brain injury. ⋯ High oxygenation levels as early as the first 4 hours of presentation in the emergency department may not be adversely associated with the long-term neurologic status of patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Therefore, during the early phase of trauma, clinicians may focus on stabilizing patients while giving low priority to the titration of oxygenation levels.