Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most established environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is unclear if TBI is specifically associated with early-onset AD (EOAD). ⋯ These findings suggest, but do not establish, that TBI is a specific risk factor for EOAD and may lead to disinhibition, a feature that often results from the frontal effects of head injury. This study recommends further research on the effects of TBI in EOAD in larger numbers of participants.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2015
Serum ferritin correlates with Glasgow coma scale scores and fatal outcome after severe traumatic brain injury.
Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a 30-70% mortality rate. Nevertheless, in clinical practice there are no effective biomarkers for the prediction of fatal outcome following severe TBI. Therefore, the aim was to determine whether ferritin serum levels are associated with ICU mortality in patients with severe TBI. ⋯ Increased serum ferritin levels were associated with lower hospital admission GCS scores and predicted short-term fatal outcome following severe TBI.
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NeuroImage. Clinical · Jan 2015
White matter disruption in moderate/severe pediatric traumatic brain injury: advanced tract-based analyses.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children and can lead to a wide range of impairments. Brain imaging methods such as DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) are uniquely sensitive to the white matter (WM) damage that is common in TBI. However, higher-level analyses using tractography are complicated by the damage and decreased FA (fractional anisotropy) characteristic of TBI, which can result in premature tract endings. ⋯ In the chronic phase, we found higher MD and RD across a wide range of WM. Additionally, we found correlations between these WM integrity measures and cognitive deficits. This suggests a distributed pattern of WM disruption that continues over the first year following a TBI in children.
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Seizures account for significant morbidity and mortality early in the course of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although there is sufficient literature suggesting short-term benefits of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in post-TBI patients, there has been no study to suggest a time frame for continuing AEDs in patients who have undergone a decompressive craniectomy for more severe TBI. We examined trends in a level-II trauma center in southern California that may provide guidelines for AED treatment in craniectomy patients. ⋯ Our study shows a trend toward increased seizure incidence in craniectomy group, which does not reach significance, but suggests they are at higher risk. Whether this higher risk translates into a benefit on being on AEDs for a longer duration than the current standard of 7 days cannot be concluded as there is no significant difference or trend on the onset date for seizures in either group. Moreover, a prospective study will be necessary to more profoundly evaluate the duration of AED prophylaxis for each one of the stated groups.
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Indian J Crit Care Med · Jan 2015
Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity in neurological critical care.
Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is a clinical disorder mainly caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, encephalitis and other types of brain injury. The clinical features are episodes of hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, fever and dystonic postures. In this study, we described clinical profile and outcome of six patients of PSH admitted in neurocritical care unit. ⋯ PSH is an unusual complication in neurocritical care. It prolonged the hospitalization and hampers recovery. The other life-threatening conditions that mimic PSH should be excluded. The association with JE and tuberculous meningitis was not previously described in literature.