Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2013
ReviewBiomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of mild traumatic brain injury/concussion.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) results from a transfer of mechanical energy into the brain from traumatic events such as rapid acceleration/deceleration, a direct impact to the head, or an explosive blast. Transfer of energy into the brain can cause structural, physiological, and/or functional changes in the brain that may yield neurological, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms that can be long-lasting. Because mTBI can cause these symptoms in the absence of positive neuroimaging findings, its diagnosis can be subjective and often is based on self-reported neurological symptoms. ⋯ This review provides a critical assessment of the status of current biomarkers for the diagnosis of human mTBI. We review the status of biomarkers that have been tested in TBI patients with injuries classified as mild, and introduce a new concept for the discovery of biomarkers (termed symptophenotypes) to predict common and unique symptoms of concussion. Finally, we discuss the need for biomarker/biomarker signatures that can detect mTBI in the context of polytrauma, and to assess the consequences of repeated injury on the development of secondary injury syndrome, prolongation of post-concussion symptoms, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2013
ReviewElectroencephalography and quantitative electroencephalography in mild traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) causes brain injury resulting in electrophysiologic abnormalities visible in electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. Quantitative EEG (qEEG) makes use of quantitative techniques to analyze EEG characteristics such as frequency, amplitude, coherence, power, phase, and symmetry over time independently or in combination. QEEG has been evaluated for its use in making a diagnosis of mTBI and assessing prognosis, including the likelihood of progressing to the postconcussive syndrome (PCS) phase. ⋯ An attempt is made to separate the findings seen during the acute, subacute, and chronic phases after mTBI. Brief mention is also made of the neurobiological correlates of qEEG using neuroimaging techniques or in histopathology. Although the literature indicates the promise of qEEG in making a diagnosis and indicating prognosis of mTBI, further study is needed to corroborate and refine these methods.
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This Introduction to a Special Issue on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) highlights the methodological challenges in outcome studies and clinical trials involving patients who sustain mTBI. Recent advances in brain imaging and portable, computerized cognitive tasks have contributed to protocols that are sensitive to the effects of mTBI and efficient in time for completion. Investigation of civilian mTBI has been extended to single and repeated injuries in athletes and blast-related mTBI in service members and veterans. ⋯ Recent use of closed head and blast injury animal models may more closely approximate clinical mTBI. Translation of interventions that are developed in animal models to patients with mTBI is a priority for the research agenda. This Special Issue on mTBI integrates basic neuroscience studies using animal models with studies of human mTBI, including the cognitive sequelae, persisting symptoms, brain imaging, and host factors that facilitate recovery.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2013
Review Meta AnalysisSafety and efficacy of early pharmacological thromboprophylaxis in traumatic brain injury: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolic events (VTE). Pharmacological thromboprophylaxis (PTP) is routinely delayed because of concerns of exacerbating intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this review is to examine the literature and assimilate suitable data to assess the safety and efficacy of PTP administered within 72 h in TBI patients. ⋯ Assessing safety, the relative risk of ICH progression in the early compared with the late PTP group was 0.64 (0.35, 1.14). Based on the available literature, we can tentatively conclude that early PTP (<72 h) reduces the risk of VTE without affecting progression of ICH. However, much work is yet to be done to better clarify ICH subtypes at risk of progression and the implementation of evidence-based guidelines backed up with randomized control trial level evidence.