scholarly journals Variation in seizure prophylaxis in severe pediatric traumatic brain injury

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige J. Ostahowski ◽  
Nithya Kannan ◽  
Mark S. Wainwright ◽  
Qian Qiu ◽  
Richard B. Mink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Scale Score ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Pediatric Trauma ◽  
Major Complication ◽  
Trauma Centers ◽  
Multicenter Cohort Study ◽  
Seizure Prophylaxis ◽  
Diagnosis Codes

OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic seizure is a major complication following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to determine the variation in seizure prophylaxis in select pediatric trauma centers. The authors hypothesized that there would be wide variation in seizure prophylaxis selection and use, within and between pediatric trauma centers. METHODS In this retrospective multicenter cohort study including 5 regional pediatric trauma centers affiliated with academic medical centers, the authors examined data from 236 children (age < 18 years) with severe TBI (admission Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤ 8, ICD-9 diagnosis codes of 800.0–801.9, 803.0–804.9, 850.0–854.1, 959.01, 950.1–950.3, 995.55, maximum head Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥ 3) who received tracheal intubation for ≥ 48 hours in the ICU between 2007 and 2011. RESULTS Of 236 patients, 187 (79%) received seizure prophylaxis. In 2 of the 5 centers, 100% of the patients received seizure prophylaxis medication. Use of seizure prophylaxis was associated with younger patient age (p < 0.001), inflicted TBI (p < 0.001), subdural hematoma (p = 0.02), cerebral infarction (p < 0.001), and use of electroencephalography (p = 0.023), but not higher Injury Severity Score. In 63% cases in which seizure prophylaxis was used, the patients were given the first medication within 24 hours of injury, and 50% of the patients received the first dose in the prehospital or emergency department setting. Initial seizure prophylaxis was most commonly with fosphenytoin (47%), followed by phenytoin (40%). CONCLUSIONS While fosphenytoin was the most commonly used medication for seizure prophylaxis, there was large variation within and between trauma centers with respect to timing and choice of seizure prophylaxis in severe pediatric TBI. The heterogeneity in seizure prophylaxis use may explain the previously observed lack of relationship between seizure prophylaxis and outcomes.

Relationship of “dose” of intracranial hypertension to outcome in severe traumatic brain injury

2008 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 678-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Vik ◽  
Torbjørn Nag ◽  
Oddrun Anita Fredriksli ◽  
Toril Skandsen ◽  
Kent Gøran Moen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Intracranial Hypertension ◽  
Scale Score ◽  
Severe Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Scale Scores

Object It has recently been suggested that the degree of intracranial pressure (ICP) above the treatment goal can be estimated by the area under the curve (AUC) of ICP versus time in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The objective of this study was to determine whether the calculated “ICP dose”—the ICP AUC—is related to mortality rate, outcome, and Marshall CT classification. Methods Of 135 patients (age range 1–82 years) with severe TBI treated during a 5-year period at the authors' institution, 113 patients underwent ICP monitoring (84%). Ninety-three patients with a monitoring time > 24 hours were included for analysis of ICP AUC calculated using the trapezoidal method. Computed tomography scans were assessed according to the Marshall TBI classification. Patients with Glasgow Outcome Scale scores at 6 months and > 3 years were separated into 2 groups based on outcome. Results Sixty patients (65%) had ICP values > 20 mm Hg, and 12 (13%) developed severe intracranial hypertension and died secondary to herniation. A multiple regression analysis adjusting for Glasgow Coma Scale score, age, pupillary abnormalities and Injury Severity Scale score demonstrated that the ICP AUC was a significant predictor of poor outcome at 6 months (p = 0.034) and of death (p = 0.035). However, it did not predict long-term outcome (p = 0.157). The ICP AUC was significantly higher in patients with Marshall head injury Categories 3 and 4 (24 patients) than in those with Category 2 (23 patients, p = 0.025) and Category 5 (46 patients, p = 0.021) TBIs using the worst CT scan obtained. Conclusions The authors found a significant relationship between the dose of ICP, the worst Marshall CT score, and patient outcome, suggesting that the AUC method may be useful in refining and improving the treatment of ICP in patients with TBI.

Blast Injury in a Civilian Trauma Setting is Associated with a Delay in Diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant V. Bochicchio ◽  
Kimberly Lumpkins ◽  
James O'Connor ◽  
Marc Simard ◽  
Stacey Schaub ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Glasgow Coma Scale ◽  
Scale Score ◽  
Glasgow Coma Scale Score ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Blast Injury ◽  
Coma Scale ◽  
The Mean

High-pressure waves (blast) account for the majority of combat injuries and are becoming increasingly common in terrorist attacks. To our knowledge, there are no data evaluating the epidemiology of blast injury in a domestic nonterrorist setting. Data were analyzed retrospectively on patients admitted with any type of blast injury over a 10-year period at a busy urban trauma center. Injuries were classified by etiology of explosion and anatomical location. Eighty-nine cases of blast injury were identified in 57,392 patients (0.2%) treated over the study period. The majority of patients were male (78%) with a mean age of 40 ± 17 years. The mean Injury Severity Score was 13 ± 11 with an admission Trauma and Injury Severity Score of 0.9 ± 0.2 and Revised Trauma Score of 7.5 ± 0.8. The mean intensive care unit and hospital length of stay was 2 ± 7 days and 4.6 ± 10 days, respectively, with an overall mortality rate of 4.5 per cent. Private dwelling explosion [n = 31 (35%)] was the most common etiology followed by industrial pressure blast [n = 20 (22%)], industrial gas explosion [n = 16 (18%)], military training-related explosion [n = 15 (17%)], home explosive device [n = 8 (9%)], and fireworks explosion [n = 1 (1%)]. Maxillofacial injuries were the most common injury (n = 78) followed by upper extremity orthopedic (n = 29), head injury (n = 32), abdominal (n = 30), lower extremity orthopedic (n = 29), and thoracic (n = 19). The majority of patients with head injury [28 of 32 (88%)] presented with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15. CT scans on admission were initially positive for brain injury in 14 of 28 patients (50%). Seven patients (25%) who did not have a CT scan on admission had a CT performed later in their hospital course as a result of mental status change and were positive for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Three patients (11%) had a negative admission CT with a subsequently positive CT for TBI over the next 48 hours. The remaining four patients (14%) were diagnosed with skull fractures. All patients (n = 4) with an admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of less than 8 died from diffuse axonal injury. Blast injury is a complicated disease process, which may evolve over time, particularly with TBI. The missed injury rate for TBI in patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 was 36 per cent. More studies are needed in the area of blast injury to better understand this disease process.

Coagulopathy Predicts Mortality in Pediatric Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 2891-2891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavya S. Doshi ◽  
Shannon L. Meeks ◽  
Jeanne E Hendrickson ◽  
Andrew Reisner ◽  
Traci Leong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Pediatric Trauma ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
P Value ◽  
Trauma Patients ◽  
Severity Scores ◽  
Pediatric Tbi

Abstract Trauma is the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 21 years of age. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) poses a high risk of both morbidity and mortality within the subset of pediatric trauma patients. Numerous adult studies have shown that coagulopathy is commonly observed in patients who have sustained trauma and that the incidence is higher when there is TBI. Previously, it was thought that coagulopathy related to trauma was dilutional (i.e. due to replacement of red cells and platelets without plasma) but more recent studies show that the coagulopathy in trauma is early and likely independent of transfusion therapy. Additionally, abnormal coagulation studies (PT, PTT, INR, platelet count, fibrinogen, and D-dimer) following TBI are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in adults. Although coagulopathy after traumatic brain injury in adults is well documented, the pediatric literature is fairly sparse. A recent study by Hendrickson et al in 2008 demonstrated that coagulopathy is both underestimated and under-treated in pediatric trauma patients who required blood product replacements. Here we present the results of a retrospective pilot study designed to assess coagulopathy in the pediatric TBI population. We analyzed all children admitted to our facility with TBI from January 2012 to December 2013. Patients were excluded if they had underlying diseases of the hemostatic system. All patients had baseline characteristics measured including: age, sex, mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), injury severity score (ISS), initial complete blood count, DIC profile, hematological treatments including transfusions, ICU and hospital length of stay, ventilator days and survival status. Coagulation studies were defined as "abnormal" when they fell outside the accepted reference range of the pediatric hospital laboratory (PT 12.6-15.9, PTT 23.6-42.1 seconds, fibrinogen < 180 mg/dL units, platelets < 185 103/mL and hemoglobin < 11.5 g/dL). Survival was measured as survival at 30 days from admission or last known status at hospital discharge. One hundred and twenty patients met the inclusion criteria of the study and all were included in outcome analysis. Twenty-three of the 120 patients died (19.2%). Logistic regression analysis was used to compare survivors and non-survivors and baseline demographic data showed no difference in age or weight between the two groups with p-values of 0.1635 and 0.1624, respectively. Non-survivors had a higher ISS (30.26 vs 20.92, p-value 0.0004) and lower GCS (3 vs 5.8, p-value 0.0002) compared to survivors. Univariate analysis of coagulation studies to mortality showed statistically significant odds-ratios for ISS (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.15), PT (OR 5.91, 95% CI 1.86-18.73), PTT (OR 6.48, 95% CI 2.04-20.52) and platelets (OR 5.63, 95% CI 1.74 – 18.21). Abnormal fibrinogen levels were not predictive of mortality (OR 2.56, 95% CI 0.96-6.79). These results are summarized in Table 1. Our results demonstrate that, consistent with adult studies, abnormal coagulation studies are also associated with increased mortality in pediatric patients. Higher injury severity scores and lower GCS scores are also predictive of mortality. Taken together, these results suggest that possible early correction of coagulopathy in severe pediatric TBI patients could improve outcomes for these patients. Table 1. OR 95% CI p-value ISS 1.09 1.04—1.15 .0009 PT > 15.9 sec 5.91 1.86—18.73 0.0026 PTT > 42.1 sec 6.48 2.04—20.52 0.0015 Fibrinogen < 180 mg/dL 2.56 0.96—6.79 0.0597 Platelets < 185 x 103/mL 5.63 1.74—18.21 0.0040 Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in Adult vs Pediatric Trauma Centers: What are We Doing Different?

2016 ◽  
Vol 223 (4) ◽  
pp. e202-e203
Author(s):  
Viraj Pandit ◽  
Ahmed Hassan ◽  
Asad Azim ◽  
Peter M. Rhee ◽  
Terence O'Keeffe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Pediatric Trauma ◽  
Trauma Centers ◽  
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

scholarly journals National Variability in Intracranial Pressure Monitoring and Craniotomy for Children With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Neurosurgery ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 746-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Van Cleve ◽  
Mary A. Kernic ◽  
Richard G. Ellenbogen ◽  
Jin Wang ◽  
Douglas F. Zatzick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Intracranial Pressure ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Pediatric Trauma ◽  
Intracranial Pressure Monitoring ◽  
Trauma Centers ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Pressure Monitoring ◽  
Hospital Variation

Abstract BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of mortality and disability in children. Intracranial pressure monitoring (ICPM) and craniotomy/craniectomy (CRANI) may affect outcomes. Sources of variability in the use of these interventions remain incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: To analyze sources of variability in the use of ICPM and CRANI. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with moderate/severe pediatric TBI with the use of data submitted to the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Databank. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 7140 children at 156 US hospitals during 7 continuous years. Of the children, 27.4% had ICPM, whereas 11.7% had a CRANI. Infants had lower rates of ICPM and CRANI than older children. A lower rate of ICPM was observed among children hospitalized at combined pediatric/adult trauma centers than among children treated at adult-only trauma centers (relative risk = 0.80; 95% confidence interval 0.66-0.97). For ICPM and CRANI, 18.5% and 11.6%, respectively, of residual model variance was explained by between-hospital variation in care delivery, but almost no correlation was observed between within-hospital tendency toward performing these procedures. CONCLUSION: Infants received less ICPM than older children, and children hospitalized at pediatric trauma centers received less ICPM than children at adult-only trauma centers. In addition, significant between-hospital variability existed in the delivery of ICPM and CRANI to children with moderate-severe TBI.

Limit Crystalloid Resuscitation after Traumatic Brain Injury

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 1447-1452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ara Ko ◽  
Megan Y. Harada ◽  
Galinos Barmparas ◽  
Eric J. T. Smith ◽  
Kurtis Birch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Scale Score ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Trauma Patients ◽  
Abbreviated Injury Scale ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Multivariable Regression

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often resuscitated with crystalloids in the emergency department (ED) to maintain cerebral perfusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether crystalloid resuscitation volume impacts mortality in TBI patients. This was a retrospective study of trauma patients with head abbreviated injury scale score ≥2, who received crystalloids during ED resuscitation between 2004 and 2013. Clinical characteristics and volume of crystalloids received in the ED were collected. Patients who received <2 L of crystalloids were categorized as low volume (LOW), whereas those who received ≥2 L were considered high volume (HIGH). Mortality and outcomes were compared. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine the odds of mortality while controlling for confounders. Over 10 years, 875 patients met inclusion criteria. Overall mortality was 12.5 per cent. Seven hundred and forty-two (85%) were in the LOW cohort and 133 (15%) in the HIGH cohort. Gender and age were similar between the groups. The HIGH cohort had lower admission systolic blood pressure (128 vs 138 mm Hg, P = 0.001), lower Glasgow coma scale score (10 vs 12, P < 0.001), higher head abbreviated injury scale (3.8 vs 3.3, P < 0.001), and higher injury severity score (25 vs 18, P < 0.001). The LOW group had a lower unadjusted mortality (10 vs 26%, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis adjusting for confounders demonstrated that those resuscitated with ≥2 L of crystalloids had increased odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratio 2.25, P = 0.005). Higher volume crystalloid resuscitation after TBI is associated with increased mortality, thus limited resuscitation for TBI patients may be indicated.

scholarly journals Can trauma surgeons keep up? A prospective cohort study comparing outcomes between patients with traumatic brain injury cared for in a trauma versus neuroscience intensive care unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek J Roberts ◽  
Samuel D Leonard ◽  
Deborah M Stein ◽  
George W Williams ◽  
Charles E Wade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Scale Score ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Injury Severity ◽  
Level Of Evidence

BackgroundAlthough many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are admitted to trauma intensive care units (ICUs), some question whether outcomes would improve if their care was provided in neurocritical care units. We sought to compare characteristics and outcomes of patients with TBI admitted to and cared for in a trauma versus neuroscience ICU.MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study of adult (≥18 years of age) blunt trauma patients with TBI admitted to a trauma versus neuroscience ICU between May 2015 and December 2016. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate an adjusted odds ratio (OR) comparing 30-day mortality between cohorts.ResultsIn total, 548 patients were included in the study, including 207 (38%) who were admitted to the trauma ICU and 341 (62%) to the neuroscience ICU. When compared with neuroscience ICU admissions, patients admitted to the trauma ICU were more likely to have sustained their injuries from a high-speed mechanism (71% vs. 34%) and had a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS) (median 25 vs. 16) despite a similar head Abbreviated Injury Scale score (3 vs. 3, p=0.47) (all p<0.05). Trauma ICU patients also had a lower initial Glasgow Coma Scale score (5 vs. 15) and systolic blood pressure (128 mm Hg vs. 136 mm Hg) and were more likely to have fixed or unequal pupils at admission (13% vs. 8%) (all p<0.05). After adjusting for age, ISS, a high-speed mechanism of injury, fixed or unequal pupils at admission, and field intubation, the odds of 30-day mortality was 70% lower among patients admitted to the trauma versus neuroscience ICU (adjusted OR=0.30, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.82).ConclusionsDespite a higher injury burden and worse neurological examination and hemodynamics at presentation, patients admitted to the trauma ICU had a lower adjusted 30-day mortality. This finding may relate to improved care of associated injuries in trauma versus neuroscience ICUs.Level of evidenceProspective comparative study, level II.

scholarly journals Higher Volume Predicts Improved Outcomes for Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Patients at Level 1 and 2 Trauma Centers

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kimata ◽  
Oliver Young Tang ◽  
Wael Asaad
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Pediatric Trauma ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Trauma Centers ◽  
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
Pediatric Tbi

Abstract INTRODUCTION Recent research has demonstrated improved outcomes for trauma patients at higher volume institutions. However, the volume-outcome relationship for severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, specifically, has yet to be demonstrated. METHODS We isolated all severe pediatric TBI admissions (GCS admission score 3-8) to pediatric American College of Surgeons (ACS) level 1 and 2 trauma centers in the 2012 National Trauma Data Bank. Pediatric TBI volume was analyzed on a continuous scale as the primary independent variable. Our outcome variables were mortality, hospital discharge disposition (home, rehab/other care facility, died/hospice), presence of complications (deep vein thrombosis [DVT], cardiac arrest, cerebrovascular accident, acute respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS], urinary tract infection [UTI], pneumonia), length of stay (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) days. We utilized multivariate analyses to adjust for the following confounding variables: injury type, age, gender, race, hospital teaching status, region of hospital, ISS, comorbidities (hypertension, bleeding disorder, congenital anomalies, respiratory disease), and GCS at admission. Statistical significance was assessed at P < .05. RESULTS There were 1441 severe pediatric TBI admissions in 69 unique pediatric ACS level 1 or 2 trauma centers in 2012. Following multivariate adjustment, the treatment at hospitals with a higher pediatric TBI volume was associated with a shorter LOS (0.5 d per +10 patients, P = .02) and higher odds of discharge home (odds ratio = 1.08 per +10 patients, P = .01). Moreover, patients at higher volume centers had a lower risk of complications (odds ratio = 0.91 per +10 patients, P = .01), particularly ARDS (odds ratio = 0.64 per +10 patients, P < .001) and pneumonia (odds ratio = 0.89 per +10 patients, P = .047). CONCLUSION Among level 1 and 2 pediatric trauma care facilities, patients treated at higher volume centers had lower complication rates, a more favorable discharge, and a shorter LOS. This suggests a need to investigate differences in approach to care between higher and lower volume hospitals and consider the role of transfer and referral networks in optimizing care.

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