Therapeutic Hypothermia in Children and Adults with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Great expectations have been raised about neuroprotection of therapeutic hypothermia in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) by analogy with its effects after heart arrest, neonatal asphyxia, and drowning in cold water. The aim of this study is to review our present knowledge of the effect of therapeutic hypothermia on outcome in children and adults with severe TBI. A literature search for relevant articles in English published from year 2000 up to December 2013 found 19 studies. No signs of improvement in outcome from hypothermia were seen in the five pediatric studies. Varied results were reported in 14 studies on adult patients, 2 of which reported a tendency of higher mortality and worse neurological outcome, 4 reported lower mortality, and 9 reported favorable neurological outcome with hypothermia. The quality of several trials was low. The best-performed randomized studies showed no improvement in outcome by hypothermia-some even indicated worse outcome. TBI patients may suffer from hypothermia-induced pulmonary and coagulation side effects, from side effects of vasopressors when re-establishing the hypothermia-induced lowered blood pressure, and from a rebound increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) during and after rewarming. The difference between body temperature and temperature set by the biological thermostat may cause stress-induced worsening of the circulation and oxygenation in injured areas of the brain. These mechanisms may counteract neuroprotective effects of therapeutic hypothermia. We conclude that we still lack scientific support as a first-tier therapy for the use of therapeutic hypothermia in TBI patients for both adults and children, but it may still be an option as a second-tier therapy for refractory intracranial hypertension

No impact of early intervention on late outcome after minimal, mild and moderate head injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>To evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on outcome after minimal, mild and moderate head injury.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three hundred and twenty six patients underwent stratified randomization to an intervention group (n = 163) or a control group (n = 163). Every second patient was allocated to the intervention group. Participants in this group were offered a cognitive oriented consultation two weeks after the injury, while subjects allocated to the control group were not. Both groups were invited to follow up 3 and 12 months after injury.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 50 (15%) patients completed the study (intervention group n = 22 (13%), control group n = 28 (17%), not significant). There were no statistically significant differences between the intervention group and the control group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There was no effect on outcomes from an early educational intervention two weeks after head injury.</p

S100B proteins in febrile seizures

AbstractS100B protein concentrations correlate with the severity and outcome of brain damage after brain injuries, and have been shown to be markers of blood–brain barrier damage. In children elevated S100B values are seen as a marker of damage to astrocytes even after mild head injuries. S100B proteins may also give an indication of an ongoing pathological process in the brain with respect to febrile seizures (FS) and the likelihood of their recurrence. To evaluate this, we measured S100B protein concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid from 103 children after their first FS. 33 children with acute infection without FS served as controls for the serum concentrations. In the FS patients the mean S100B concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid samples was 0.21μg/L and that in the serum samples 0.12μg/L. The mean serum concentration in the controls was 0.11μg/L (difference 0.01μg/L, 95% confidence interval −0.02 to 0.04μg/L, P=0.46). There was a correlation between age and serum S100B concentration (r=−0.28, P=0.008) in children under four years, but S100B concentrations did not predict the clinical severity of the FS nor their recurrence. There was no correlation between time of arrival at the hospital after FS and S100B concentration in serum (r=−0.130, P=0.28) or in cerebrospinal fluid samples (r=−0.091, P=0.52). Our findings indicate that FS does not cause significant blood–brain barrier openings, and increase the evidence that these seizures are relatively harmless for the developing brain

An observational study of compliance with the Scandinavian guidelines for management of minimal, mild and moderate head injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Scandinavian guidelines for management of minimal, mild and moderate head injuries were developed to provide safe and cost effective assessment of head injured patients. In a previous study conducted one year after publication and implementation of the guidelines (2003), we showed low compliance, involving over-triage with computed tomography (CT) and hospital admissions. The aim of the present study was to investigate guideline compliance after an educational intervention.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We evaluated guideline compliance in the management of head injured patients referred to the University Hospital of Stavanger, Norway. The findings from the previous study in 2003 were communicated to the hospitals physicians, and a feed-back loop training program for guideline implementation was conducted. All patients managed during the months January through June in the years 2005, 2007 and 2009 were then identified with an electronic search in the hospitals patient administrative database, and the patient files were reviewed. Patients were classified according to the Head Injury Severity Scale, and the management was classified as compliant or not with the guideline.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 1 180 patients were 759 (64%) males and 421 (36%) females with a mean age of 31.5 (range 0-97) years. Over all, 738 (63%) patients were managed in accordance with the guidelines and 442 (37%) were not. Compliance was not significantly different between minimal (56%) and mild (59%) injuries, while most moderate (93%) injuries were managed in accordance with the guidelines (p < 0.05). Noncompliance was caused by overtriage in 362 cases (30%) and undertriage in 80 (7%). Guideline compliance was 54% in 2005, 71% in 2007, and 64% in 2009.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study shows higher guideline compliance after an educational intervention involving feed-back on performance. A substantial number of patients are exposed to over-triage, involving unnecessary radiation from CT examinations, and unnecessary costs from hospital admissions.</p

Post-ischemic continuous infusion of erythropoeitin enhances recovery of lost memory function after global cerebral ischemia in the rat.

Erythropoietin (EPO) and its covalently modified analogs are neuroprotective in various models of brain damage and disease. We investigated the effect on brain damage and memory performance, of a continuous 3-day intravenous infusion of EPO, starting 20 min after a transient 10 minute period of global cerebral ischemia in the rat

Alcohol consumption, blood alcohol concentration level and guideline compliance in hospital referred patients with minimal, mild and moderate head injuries

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2000 the Scandinavian Neurotrauma Committee published guidelines for safe and cost-effective management of minimal, mild and moderate head injured patients.</p> <p>The aims of this study were to investigate to what extent the head injury population is under the influence of alcohol, and to evaluate whether the physicians' compliance to the guidelines is affected when patients are influenced by alcohol.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study included adult patients (≥15 years) referred to a Norwegian University Hospital with minimal, mild and moderate head injuries classified according to the Head Injury Severity Scale (HISS). Information on alcohol consumption was recorded, and in most of these patients blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured. Compliance with the abovementioned guidelines was registered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study includes 860 patients. 35.8% of the patients had consumed alcohol, and 92.1% of these patients had a BAC ≥ 1.00‰. Young age, male gender, trauma occurring during the weekends, mild and moderate head injuries were independent factors significantly associated with being under the influence of alcohol. Guideline compliance was 60.5%, and over-triage was the main violation. The guideline compliance showed no significant correlation to alcohol consumption or to BAC-level.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study confirms that alcohol consumption is common among patients with head injuries. The physicians' guideline compliance was not affected by the patients' alcohol consumption, and alcohol influence could therefore not explain the low guideline compliance.</p

Effect of caudal epidural steroid or saline injection in chronic lumbar radiculopathy: multicentre, blinded, randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess the efficacy of caudal epidural steroid or saline injection in chronic lumbar radiculopathy in the short (6 weeks), intermediate (12 weeks), and long term (52 weeks). Design Multicentre, blinded, randomised controlled trial. Setting Outpatient multidisciplinary back clinics of five Norwegian hospitals. Participants Between October 2005 and February 2009, 461 patients assessed for inclusion (presenting with lumbar radiculopathy >12 weeks). 328 patients excluded for cauda equina syndrome, severe paresis, severe pain, previous spinal injection or surgery, deformity, pregnancy, ongoing breast feeding, warfarin therapy, ongoing treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, body mass index >30, poorly controlled psychiatric conditions with possible secondary gain, and severe comorbidity. Interventions Subcutaneous sham injections of 2 mL 0.9% saline, caudal epidural injections of 30 mL 0.9% saline, and caudal epidural injections of 40 mg triamcinolone acetonide in 29 mL 0.9% saline. Participants received two injections with a two week interval. Main outcome measures Primary: Oswestry disability index scores. Secondary: European quality of life measure, visual analogue scale scores for low back pain and for leg pain. Results Power calculations required the inclusion of 41 patients per group. We did not allocate 17 of 133 eligible patients because their symptoms improved before randomisation. All groups improved after the interventions, but we found no statistical or clinical differences between the groups over time. For the sham group (n=40), estimated change in the Oswestry disability index from the adjusted baseline value was −4.7 (95% confidence intervals −0.6 to −8.8) at 6 weeks, −11.4 (−6.3 to −14.5) at 12 weeks, and −14.3 (−10.0 to −18.7) at 52 weeks. For the epidural saline intervention group (n=39) compared with the sham group, differences in primary outcome were −0.5 (−6.3 to 5.4) at 6 weeks, 1.4 (−4.5 to 7.2) at 12 weeks, and −1.9 (−8.0 to 4.3) at 52 weeks; for the epidural steroid group (n=37), corresponding differences were −2.9 (−8.7 to 3.0), 4.0 (−1.9 to 9.9), and 1.9 (−4.2 to 8.0). Analysis adjusted for duration of leg pain, back pain, and sick leave did not change this trend. Conclusions Caudal epidural steroid or saline injections are not recommended for chronic lumbar radiculopathy

Adjustable valves in normal-pressure hydrocephalus: a retrospective study of 218 patients.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the value of adjusting shunt valve opening pressure, complications, and outcomes with the use of an adjustable shunt valve in the treatment of patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). METHODS: In a single-center retrospective study, 231 adjustable valves (range, 30-200 mm H2O) were the first shunt implantations in 147 patients with idiopathic NPH (INPH) and 71 patients with secondary NPH (SNPH). The effect of adjustment on gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence and other symptoms were evaluated, and an improvement index was created. RESULTS: In the INPH group, 138 adjustments were performed in 49.0% of the patients (average, 0.94 adjustments/patient). For the SNPH group, 49 adjustments were performed in 32.4% of the patients (average, 0.69 adjustments/patient). The reasons for adjustment were overdrainage in 48 patients (25.7%), underdrainage in 98 patients (52.4%), subdural hematoma in 37 patients (19.8%), and other reasons in 2 patients (2.1%). Clinical status improved after 56 (49.1%) of all 114 adjustments, whereas 23 (42.6%) of 54 minor (< or = 20 mm H2O) and 33 (66.0%) of 50 larger adjustments improved the patient's clinical status. The correlation of the improvement index with the size of the individual adjustments was not significant. Complications occurred in 43 (19.7%) of 218 patients, valve malfunction occurred in 3 patients (1.3%), infection occurred in 14 patients (6.4%), and nontraumatic subdural effusion occurred in 15 patients (6.9%; 8 were treated by adjustment alone). The 5-year shunt survival rate was 80.2%. Outcomes were excellent or good in 71 (78.9%) of 90 patients with INPH and in 30 (69.8%) of 43 patients with SNPH. CONCLUSION: Noninvasive, particularly consecutive, minor or single larger adjustments to the valve opening pressure can further improve outcome in patients with NPH who undergo shunting