Journal of neurotrauma
-
Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2012
Health care costs associated with traumatic brain injury and psychiatric illness in adults.
A cohort design was used to determine the contribution of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychiatric illness to health care costs for adolescents and adults in the 3 years following mild or moderate-to-severe TBI compared to a matched cohort without TBI, controlling for confounders. In all, 3756 subjects 15 years or older from a large health maintenance organization database were examined. We identified subjects who sustained a TBI in 1993 (n=939) and selected three control subjects per TBI-exposed subject (n=2817), matched for age, sex, and enrollment at the time of injury. ⋯ Gamma regression analyses confirmed significantly higher costs in patients with TBI or psychiatric illness. A significant interaction between moderate-to-severe TBI and psychiatric illness indicated a 3.39 times greater cost among patients with both exposures compared with those exposed to moderate-to-severe TBI without psychiatric illness. TBI and psychiatric illness were each associated with significant increases in health care costs; those with the combination of moderate-to-severe TBI and psychiatric illness had much higher costs than any other group.
-
Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2012
Neuroprotection with an erythropoietin mimetic peptide (pHBSP) in a model of mild traumatic brain injury complicated by hemorrhagic shock.
Pyroglutamate helix B surface peptide (pHBSP) is an 11 amino acid peptide, designed to interact with a novel cell surface receptor, composed of the classical erythropoietin (EPO) receptor disulfide linked to the beta common receptor. pHBSP has the cytoprotective effects of EPO without stimulating erythropoiesis. Effects on early cerebral hemodynamics and neurological outcome at 2 weeks post-injury were compared in a rat model of mild cortical impact injury (3m/sec, 2.5 mm deformation) followed by 50 min of hemorrhagic hypotension (MAP 40 mm Hg for 50 min). ⋯ Both agents improved recovery of cerebral blood flow in the injured brain following resuscitation, and resulted in more rapid recovery of performance on beam balancing and beam walking tests. These studies suggest that pHBSP has neuroprotective effects similar to EPO in this model of combined brain injury and hypotension. pHBSP may be more useful in the clinical situation because there is less risk of thrombotic adverse effects.
-
Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2012
Clinical TrialReconstruction of cranial defects with individually formed cranial prostheses made of polypropylene polyester knitwear: an analysis of 48 consecutive patients.
This article presents a new method of cranioplasty in which polypropylene polyester knitwear was used as the filling material. The basis for prosthesis shaping was a three-dimensional model of the defect made according to the patient's CT scans. Previously, such material has never been a subject of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) individual forming. ⋯ The coverage and the aesthetic results were very good in all cases. Two patients had postoperative complications. The cranioplastic solution described here is a valuable addition to the existing reconstructive methods, because of the low cost of the implant, the ease of its adjustment to the shape of the defect, and the short time of preparation.
-
Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2012
Cranioplasty with customized titanium and PEEK implants in a mechanical stress model.
Large skull defects as a result of craniectomies due to cerebral insults, trauma, or tumors create functional and aesthetic disturbances for the patient. Cranioplasty with implants in these cases are an alternative to autogenous bone transplantation. In our clinic, customized titanium or optima poly-ether-ether ketone (PEEK) implants are used to reconstruct craniectomy defects. ⋯ The highest pressures achieved were 45.8 and 50.9 kN. In a simplified model with quasi-static loading, both implants withstood forces that were higher than those capable of causing skull fractures. It seems that the mechanical properties of PEEK could provide better protection when used for cranioplasty in patients after craniectomy if reconstruction with autogenous bone is not possible.
-
Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2012
Glial neuronal ratio: a novel index for differentiating injury type in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
Neurobiochemical marker levels in blood after traumatic brain injury (TBI) may reflect structural changes detected by neuroimaging. This study evaluates whether correlations between neuronal (ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 [UCH-L1]) and glial (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]) biomarkers may be used as an indicator for differing intracranial pathologies after brain trauma. In 59 patients with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score≤8) serum samples were obtained at the time of hospital admission and analyzed for UCH-L1 and GFAP. ⋯ GNR was significantly higher in patients who died, but was not an independent predictor of death. The data from the present study indicate that GNR provides valuable information about different injury pathways, which may be of diagnostic significance. In addition, GNR may help to identify different pathophysiological mechanisms following different types of brain trauma, with implications for therapeutic interventions.