Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Observational Study
Predicting Clinical Outcomes 7-10 Years after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Exploring the Prognostic Utility of the IMPACT Lab Model and Cerebrospinal Fluid UCH-L1 and MAP-2.
Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major contributor to disability and mortality in the industrialized world. Outcomes of severe TBI are profoundly heterogeneous, complicating outcome prognostication. Several prognostic models have been validated for acute prediction of 6-month global outcomes following TBI (e.g., morbidity/mortality). In this preliminary observational prognostic study, we assess the utility of the International Mission on Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in TBI (IMPACT) Lab model in predicting longer term global and cognitive outcomes (7-10 years post injury) and the extent to which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers enhance outcome prediction. ⋯ Although preliminary, results suggest that existing prognostic models, including models with incorporation of CSF markers, may be applied to predict outcome of severe TBI years after injury. Continued research is needed examining early predictors of longer-term outcomes following TBI to identify potential targets for clinical trials that could impact long-ranging functional and cognitive outcomes.
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Cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension are major contributors to unfavorable prognosis in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Local epigenetic changes, particularly in DNA methylation, may influence gene expression and thus host response/secondary injury after TBI. It remains unknown whether DNA methylation in the central nervous system is associated with cerebral edema severity or intracranial hypertension post TBI. We sought to identify epigenome-wide DNA methylation patterns associated with these forms of secondary injury after TBI. ⋯ We report a novel potential relationship between intracranial hypertension after TBI and an acute, nonsustained reduction in DNA methylation at cg22111818 in the RGMA gene. To our knowledge, this is the largest EWAS in severe TBI. Our findings are further strengthened by previous findings that RGMA modulates axonal repair in other central nervous system disorders, but a role in intracranial hypertension or TBI has not been previously identified. Additional work is warranted to validate and extend these findings, including assessment of its possible role in risk stratification, identification of novel druggable targets, and ultimately our ability to personalize therapy in TBI.
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Many patients with severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) undergo withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WLSTs) or transition to comfort measures, but noninjury factors that influence this decision have not been well characterized. We hypothesized that WLST would be associated with institutional and geographic noninjury factors. All patients with a head Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥3 were identified from 2016 Trauma Quality Improvement Program data. ⋯ Variations were also discovered based on US region, hospital characteristics, and neurosurgical procedures. WLST in severe TBI is independently associated with noninjury factors such as sex, age, race, hospital characteristics, and geographic region. The effect of noninjury factors on these decisions is poorly understood; further study of WLST patterns can aid health care providers in decision making for patients with severe TBI.
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Blood pressure in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with clinical outcome. However, evidence of blood pressure (BP) range is scarce and the association between BP and clinical outcome is mostly controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between blood pressure and clinical outcome in TBI. ⋯ Traumatic brain injury population presented a U-shape relationship between triage SBP and in-hospital mortality. Early resuscitation and correct hypotension/hypertension in TBI population with BP below 90 mmHg and above 190 mmHg may prevent from increased mortality.
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In the last few decades, an opioid related health crisis has been a challenging problem in many countries around the world, especially the United States. Better understanding of the association of pre-admission opioid abuse and/or dependence (POAD) on specific major complications in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients can aid the medical team in improving patient care management and outcomes. ⋯ POAD TBI patients have a lower in-hospital mortality, shorter duration of hospitalization and a lower risk of acute myocardial infarction, while they are more likely to have respiratory failure, delirium, sepsis, malnutrition, and acute renal failure compared to TBI patients without POAD. Prospective study is warranted to further confirm these findings.