Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2015
Brain Microdialysis as a Tool to Explore the Ionic Profile of the Brain Extracellular Space in Neurocritical Patients: a Methodological Approach and Feasibility Study.
Our aim is to determine whether the ionic concentration in brain microdialysate enables calculations of the actual Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) concentrations in vitro and whether this method can be applied to determine the ionic concentrations in the brain extracellular fluid. We designed an experiment using CMA-71 probes (M Dialysis, Stockholm, Sweden) and the standard conditions used in a clinical setting. Nine CMA-71 probes were inserted in different matrices and perfused with mock cerebrospinal fluid containing 3% albumin at the standard infusion rate used in the clinical setting (0.3 μL/min). ⋯ To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, we present the calculated ionic profile of one patient with a malignant infarction and a second with a severe traumatic brain injury. Our results confirm that the ionic concentration in microdialysate can be used to calculate the true concentrations of ions in a matrix and the actual concentrations in the extracellular fluid. Microdialysis offers the unique possibility of monitoring the dynamic changes of ions in the brain over time and opens a new avenue to explore the brain's ionic profile, its changes in brain edema, and how this profile can be modified with different therapies.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialTelephone and In-Person Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Major Depression after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is prevalent after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, there is a lack of evidence regarding effective treatment approaches. We conducted a choice-stratified randomized controlled trial in 100 adults with MDD within 10 years of complicated mild to severe TBI to test the effectiveness of brief cognitive behavioral therapy administered over the telephone (CBT-T) (n = 40) or in-person (CBT-IP) (n = 18), compared with usual care (UC) (n = 42). Participants were recruited from clinical and community settings throughout the United States. ⋯ CBT participants reported significantly more symptom improvement (p = 0.010) and greater satisfaction with depression care (p < 0.001), than did the UC group. In-person and telephone-administered CBT are acceptable and feasible in persons with TBI. Although further research is warranted, telephone CBT holds particular promise for enhancing access and adherence to effective depression treatment.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2015
Identification of hematomas in mild traumatic brain injury using an index of quantitative brain electrical activity.
Rapid identification of traumatic intracranial hematomas following closed head injury represents a significant health care need because of the potentially life-threatening risk they present. This study demonstrates the clinical utility of an index of brain electrical activity used to identify intracranial hematomas in traumatic brain injury (TBI) presenting to the emergency department (ED). Brain electrical activity was recorded from a limited montage located on the forehead of 394 closed head injured patients who were referred for CT scans as part of their standard ED assessment. ⋯ Sensitivity to hematomas was found to be 95.7% (95% CI = 85.2, 99.5), specificity was 43.9% (95% CI = 38.0, 49.9). There was no significant relationship between the TBI-Index and distance of the bleed from recording sites (F = 0.044, p = 0.833), or volume of blood measured F = 0.179, p = 0.674). Results of this study are a validation and extension of previously published retrospective findings in an independent population, and provide evidence that a TBI-Index for structural brain injury is a highly sensitive measure for the detection of potentially life-threatening traumatic intracranial hematomas, and could contribute to the rapid, quantitative evaluation and treatment of such patients.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2015
Noninvasive brain stimulation for persistent postconcussion symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is typically followed by various postconcussive symptoms (PCS), including headache, depression, and cognitive deficits. In 15-25% of cases, PCS persists beyond the usual 3-month recovery period, interfering with activities of daily living and responding poorly to pharmacotherapy. We tested the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for alleviating PCS. ⋯ Participants also reported positive outcomes such as less sleep disturbance (n = 3), and better mental focus (n = 3). On average, PCS scores declined by 14.6 points (p = 0.009) and fMRI task-related activation peaks in the DLPFC increased after rTMS. rTMS is safe, tolerated by most patients with mTBI, and associated with both a reduction in severity of PCS and an increase in task-related activations in DLPFC. Assessment of this intervention in a randomized, control trial is warranted.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jan 2015
Analysis of S100B serum levels in different types of traumatic intracranial lesions.
The objective of this study was to determine whether the type of intracranial traumatic lesions, the number of simultaneous traumatic lesions, and the occurrence of skull and facial bone fractures have an influence on S100 calcium binding protein B (S100B) serum levels. Patients with blunt traumatic brain injury were prospectively enrolled into this cohort study over a period of 13 months. Venous blood samples were obtained prior to emergency cranial CT scan in all patients within 3 h after injury. ⋯ In patients with intracranial traumatic lesions, skull fractures, as well as skull and facial bone fractures occurring together, were identified as significant additional factors for the increase in serum S100B levels (p < 0.0001). Older age was also associated with elevated S100B serum levels (p < 0.0001). Our data show that peak S100B serum levels were found in patients with cerebral edema and brain contusions.