Brain injury : [BI]
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Tracheostomy risk factors and outcomes after severe traumatic brain injury.
To determine risk factors associated with tracheostomy placement after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and subsequent outcomes among those who did and did not receive a tracheostomy. ⋯ Age and insurance status are independently associated with tracheostomy placement, but not with mortality after severe TBI. Tracheostomy placement is associated with increased survival after severe TBI.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
A retrospective cohort study of comorbidity trajectories associated with traumatic brain injury in veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
To identify and validate trajectories of comorbidity associated with traumatic brain injury in male and female Iraq and Afghanistan war Veterans (IAV). ⋯ It was found that TBI was most common in PCT-related trajectories, indicating that TBI is commonly comorbid with pain and mental health conditions for both men and women. The relatively young age of this cohort raises important questions regarding how disease burden, including the possibility of neurodegenerative sequelae, will accrue alongside normal age-related decline in individuals with TBI. Additional 'big data' methods and a longer observation period may allow the development of predictive models to identify individuals with TBI that are at-risk for adverse outcomes.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
PTSD confounds detection of compromised cerebral white matter integrity in military veterans reporting a history of mild traumatic brain injury.
Based on high comorbidity between mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among deployed military service members, this study tested the hypothesis that the presence of PTSD disrupts the association between mTBI and lower white matter integrity identified in non-military samples. Research design/Methods and procedures: In a sample of 124 recent veterans with a range of mTBI and PTSD history, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of white matter integrity in 20 regions were compared using multiple mTBI and PTSD contrasts. ⋯ Overall, a main effect of civilian mTBI indicates long-term disruptions to white matter are likely present, while the interaction between deployment mTBI and PTSD indicates that a history of PTSD alters this relationship.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Multicenter StudyDisability and health-related quality-of-life 4 years after a severe traumatic brain injury: A structural equation modelling analysis.
To assess predictors and indicators of disability and quality-of-life 4 years after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), using structural equation modelling (SEM). ⋯ Although this study should be considered as explorative, it suggests that disability and quality-of-life were directly influenced by different factors. While disability appeared to result from an interaction of a wide range of factors, quality-of-life was solely directly related to psycho-cognitive factors.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Review Case ReportsAlzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Distinct but possibly overlapping disease entities.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have long been recognized as sharing some similar neuropathological features, mainly the presence of neurofibrilary tangles and hyperphosphorylated tau, but have generally been described as distinct entities. Evidence indicates that neurotrauma increases the risk of developing dementia and accelerates the progression of disease. Findings are emerging that CTE and AD may be present in the same patients. ⋯ This case series and review of the literature presents a discussion of AD and CTE in the context of neurotrauma. It highlights recent work from repetitive neurotrauma models with an emphasis on those exhibiting a CTE-like phenotype. Potential mechanisms of interest shared amongst AD and CTE are briefly addressed and future experiments are advocated for to enhance understanding of CTE pathophysiology and the relationship between CTE and AD.