Evaluating CAPO®: A biocompatibility, transparency, and fitment assessment for use with CEREBO® in traumatic intracranial injury detection.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a global concern affecting millions of patients, requiring robust infection prevention and control measures. In particular, patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are highly susceptible to nosocomial infections, emphasizing the importance of infection control. Non-invasive near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device, CEREBO® integrated with a disposable component CAPO® has emerged as a valuable tool for TBI patient triage and this study evaluated the safety and efficacy of this combination. Biocompatibility tests confirmed safety and transparency assessments demonstrated excellent light transmission. Clinical evaluation with 598 enrollments demonstrated high accuracy of CEREBO® in detecting traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. During these evaluations, the cap fitted well and moved smoothly with the probes demonstrating appropriate flexibility. These findings support the efficacy of the CAPO® and CEREBO® combination, potentially improving infection control and enhancing intracranial hemorrhage detection for TBI patient triage. Ultimately, this can lead to better healthcare outcomes and reduced global HAIs.

Cardiac surgery for a right atrial myxoma with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The timing of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for intracranial hemorrhage is controversial. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of an 82-year-old woman who was transferred to our hospital because of a head injury. Brain computed tomography (CT) revealed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, and transthoracic echocardiography revealed a giant right atrial myxoma. After confirming the disappearance of intracranial hemorrhage on brain CT, cardiac surgery with CPB was performed, which was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: For an uneventful surgery, the optimal timing of cardiac surgery with CPB in patients with giant right atrial myxoma and intracranial hemorrhage should be based on brain CT.

Impact of premorbid oral anticoagulant use on survival in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Although oral anticoagulant use has been implicated in worse outcomes for patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), prior studies have mostly examined the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In an era of increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in lieu of VKAs, the authors compared the survival outcomes of TBI patients on different types of premorbid anticoagulation medications with those of patients not on anticoagulation. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 1186 adult patients who presented at a level I trauma center with an intracranial hemorrhage after blunt trauma between 2016 and 2022. Patient demographics; comorbidities; and pre-, peri-, and postinjury characteristics were compared based on premorbid anticoagulation use. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling of mortality was performed to adjust for risk factors that met a significance threshold of p < 0.1 on bivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of 1186 patients with a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, 49 (4.1%) were taking DOACs and 53 (4.5%) used VKAs at the time of injury. Patients using oral anticoagulants were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), to have a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (p < 0.001), and to present with a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (p < 0.001) and lower Injury Severity Score (ISS; p < 0.001) than those on no anticoagulation. Patients using VKAs were more likely to undergo reversal than patients using DOACs (53% vs 31%, p < 0.001). Cox proportional hazards regression demonstrated significantly increased hazard ratios (HRs) for VKA use (HR 2.204, p = 0.003) and DOAC use (HR 1.973, p = 0.007). Increasing age (HR 1.040, p < 0.001), ISS (HR 1.017, p = 0.01), and Marshall score (HR 1.186, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of death. A higher GCS score on admission was associated with a decreased risk of death (HR 0.912, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a traumatic intracranial injury who were on oral anticoagulant therapy before injury demonstrated higher mortality rates than patients who were not on oral anticoagulation after adjusting for age, comorbid conditions, and injury presentation.

Early venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients with trauma intracranial hemorrhage: Analysis of the prospective multicenter Consortium of Leaders in Traumatic Thromboembolism study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal time to initiate venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (VTEp) for patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is controversial and must balance the risks of VTE with potential progression of ICH. We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of early VTEp initiation after traumatic ICH. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the prospective multicenter Consortium of Leaders in the Study of Thromboembolism study. Patients with head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of > 2 and with immediate VTEp held because of ICH were included. Patients were divided into VTEp ≤ or >48 hours and compared. Outcome variables included overall VTE, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, progression of intracranial hemorrhage (pICH), or other bleeding events. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS: There were 881 patients in total; 378 (43%) started VTEp ≤48 hours (early). Patients starting VTEp >48 hours (late) had higher VTE (12.4% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.01) and DVT (11.0% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.01) rates than the early group. The incidence of pulmonary embolism (2.1% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.94), pICH (1.9% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.95), or any other bleeding event (1.9% vs. 3.0%, p = 0.28) was equivalent between early and late VTEp groups. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, VTEp >48 hours (odds ratio [OR], 1.86), ventilator days >3 (OR, 2.00), and risk assessment profile score of ≥5 (OR, 6.70) were independent risk factors for VTE (all p < 0.05), while VTEp with enoxaparin was associated with decreased VTE (OR, 0.54, p < 0.05). Importantly, VTEp ≤48 hours was not associated with pICH (OR, 0.75) or risk of other bleeding events (OR, 1.28) (both p = NS). CONCLUSION: Early initiation of VTEp (≤48 hours) for patients with ICH was associated with decreased VTE/DVT rates without increased risk of pICH or other significant bleeding events. Enoxaparin is superior to unfractionated heparin as VTE prophylaxis in patients with severe TBI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Toward rational use of repeat imaging in children with mild traumatic brain injuries and intracranial injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Limited evidence exists on the utility of repeat neuroimaging in children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) and intracranial injuries (ICIs). Here, the authors identified factors associated with repeat neuroimaging and predictors of hemorrhage progression and/or neurosurgical intervention. METHODS: The authors performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of children at four centers of the Pediatric TBI Research Consortium. All patients were ≤ 18 years and presented within 24 hours of injury with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15 and evidence of ICI on neuroimaging. The outcomes of interest were 1) whether patients underwent repeat neuroimaging during index admission, and 2) a composite outcome of progression of previously identified hemorrhage ≥ 25% and/or repeat imaging as an indication for subsequent neurosurgical intervention. The authors performed multivariable logistic regression and report odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 1324 patients met inclusion criteria; 41.3% of patients underwent repeat imaging. Repeat imaging was associated with clinical change in 4.8% of patients; the remainder of the imaging tests were for routine surveillance (90.9%) or of unclear prompting (4.4%). In 2.6% of patients, repeat imaging findings were reported as an indication for neurosurgical intervention. While many factors were associated with repeat neuroimaging, only epidural hematoma (OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.22-7.15), posttraumatic seizures (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.22-7.41), and age ≥ 2 years (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.16-4.36) were significant predictors of hemorrhage progression and/or neurosurgery. Of patients without any of these risk factors, none underwent neurosurgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Repeat neuroimaging was commonly used but uncommonly associated with clinical deterioration. Although several factors were associated with repeat neuroimaging, only posttraumatic seizures, age ≥ 2 years, and epidural hematoma were significant predictors of hemorrhage progression and/or neurosurgery. These results provide the foundation for evidence-based repeat neuroimaging practices in children with mTBI and ICI.

Management of older adults after mild head trauma in an oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic.

PURPOSE: The primary aim was to determine the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in patients aged ≥ 65 years. The secondary aim was to identify risk factors for intracranial lesions and evaluate the need for in-hospital observation in this age group. METHODS: This observational retrospective single-center study included all patients aged ≥ 65 years who were referred to our clinic for oral and plastic maxillofacial surgery following mTBI over a five-year period. Demographic and anamnesis data, clinical and radiological findings, and treatment were analyzed. Acute and delayed ICH and patient outcomes during hospitalization were evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis. A multivariable analysis was performed to find associations between CT findings and clinical data. RESULTS: A total of 1,062 patients (55.7% male, 44.2% female) with a mean age of 86.3 years were included in the analysis. Ground-level fall was the most frequent cause of trauma (52.3%). Fifty-nine patients (5.5%) developed an acute traumatic ICH, and 73 intracerebral lesions were radiologically observed. No association was detected between ICH rate and antithrombotic medication (p = 0.4353). The delayed ICH rate was 0.09% and the mortality rate was 0.09%. Significant risk factors for increased ICH were a Glasgow Coma Scale score of < 15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, and nausea according to multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a low prevalence of acute and delayed ICH in older adults with mTBI. The ICH risk factors identified here should be considered when revising guidelines and developing a valid screening tool. Repeat CT imaging is recommended in patients with secondary neurological deterioration. In-hospital observation should be based on an assessment of frailty and comorbidities and not on CT findings alone.

Analysis of Clinical and Laboratory Risk Factors of Post-Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients on Direct Oral Anticoagulants with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Observational Multicenter Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Assessing the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) who are taking direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) is challenging. Currently, extensive use of computed tomography (CT) is routine in the emergency department (ED). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether the clinical and laboratory characteristics presented at the ED evaluation can also estimate the risk of post-traumatic ICH in DOAC-treated patients with MTBI. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted in three EDs in Italy from January 1, 2016 to March 15, 2020. All patients treated with DOACs who were evaluated for an MTBI in the ED were enrolled. The primary outcome of the study was the presence of post-traumatic ICH in the head CT performed in the ED. RESULTS: Of 930 patients on DOACs with MTBI who were enrolled, 6.8% (63 of 930) had a post-traumatic ICH and 1.5% (14 of 930) were treated with surgery or died as a result of the ICH. None of the laboratory factors were associated with an increased risk of ICH. On multivariate analysis, previous neurosurgical intervention, major trauma dynamic, post-traumatic loss of consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia, Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14, and evidence of trauma above the clavicles were associated with a higher risk of post-traumatic ICH. The net clinical benefit provided by risk factor assessment appears superior to the strategy of performing CT on all DOAC-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of the clinical characteristics presented at ED admission can help identify DOAC-treated patients with MTBI who are at risk of ICH.

Emergent surgical evacuation of traumatic intracranial hematoma in patients with preoperative thrombocytopenia: surgical risk and early outcome.

BACKGROUND: Surgical evacuation of intracranial hematoma, including epidural, subdural, intracerebral, and intraventricular hematoma, is recommended in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) for prevention of cerebral herniation and possible saving of life. However, preoperative coagulopathy is a major concern for emergent surgery on patients with severe TBI. METHODS: We reviewed 65 consecutive patients with severe TBI who underwent emergency craniotomy for intracranial hematomas. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed preoperative pupil abnormality, absence of pupil light reflex, respiratory failure, preoperative thrombocytopenia (< 100 × 109/L), increased activated partial thromboplastin time (> 36 s), low fibrinogen (< 150 mg/dL), platelet transfusion, red cell concentrate transfusion, and presence of brain contusion and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on computed tomography were correlated with poor outcome (death or vegetative state). Multivariate analysis revealed that pupil abnormality (p = 0.001; odds ratio [OR] 0.064, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.012-0.344), preoperative thrombocytopenia (p = 0.016; OR 0.101, 95% CI 0.016-0.656), and traumatic SAH (p = 0.021; OR 0.211, 95% CI 0.057-0.791) were significant factors. Investigation of the 14 patients with preoperative thrombocytopenia found the emergency surgery was successful, with no postoperative bleeding during hospitalization. However, half of the patients died, and almost a quarter remained in the vegetative state mainly associated with severe cerebral edema. CONCLUSIONS: Emergent craniotomy for patients with severe TBI who have preoperative thrombocytopenia is often successful, but the prognosis is often poor. Emergency medical care teams and neurosurgeons should be aware of this discrepancy between successful surgery and poor prognosis in these patients. Further study may be needed on the cerebral edema regulator function of platelets.

Does pre-injury clopidogrel use increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage post head injury in adult patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several current guidelines do not include antiplatelet use as an explicit indication for CT scan of the head following head injury. The impact of individual antiplatelet agent use on rates of intracranial haemorrhage is unclear. The primary objective of this systematic review was to assess if clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with traumatic intracranial haemorrhage (tICH) on CT of the head within 24 hours of presentation following head trauma compared with no antithrombotic controls. METHODS: Eligible studies were non-randomised studies with participants aged ≥18 years old with head injury. Studies had to have conducted CT of the head within 24 hours of presentation and contain a no antithrombotic control group and a clopidogrel monotherapy group.Eight databases were searched from inception to December 2020. Assessment of identified studies against inclusion criteria and data extraction were carried out independently and in duplicate by two authors.Quality assessment and risk of bias (ROB) were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment tool and Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model and reported as an OR and 95% CI. RESULTS: Seven studies were eligible for inclusion with a total of 21 898 participants that were incorporated into the meta-analysis. Five studies were retrospective. Clopidogrel monotherapy was not significantly associated with an increase in risk of tICH compared with no antithrombotic controls (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.75). Heterogeneity was high with an I2 of 75%. Sensitivity analysis produced an I2 of 21% and did not show a significant association between clopidogrel monotherapy and risk of tICH (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.55). All studies scored for moderate to serious ROB on categories in the ROBINS-I tool. CONCLUSION: Included studies were vulnerable to confounding and several were small-scale studies. The results should be interpreted with caution given the ROB identified. This study does not provide statistically significant evidence that clopidogrel monotherapy patients are at increased risk of tICH after head injury compared with no antithrombotic controls. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020223541.

Routine platelet transfusion in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage taking antiplatelet medication: Is it warranted?

BACKGROUND: After a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH), patients often receive a platelet transfusion to reverse the effects of antiplatelet medication and to reduce neurologic complications. As platelet transfusions have their own risks, this study evaluated their effects on tICH progression, need for operations and mortality. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we identified patients admitted to a level 1 trauma centre with a tICH from 2011 to 2015 who were taking acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or clopidogrel, or both. We categorized patients into 2 groups: platelet transfusion recipients and nonrecipients. We collected data on demographic characteristics, changes in brain computed tomography findings, neurosurgical interventions, in-hospital death and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). We used multivariable logistic regression to compare outcomes between the 2 groups. RESULTS: We identified 224 patients with tICH, 156 (69.6%) in the platelet transfusion group and 68 (30.4%) in the no transfusion group. There were no between-group differences in progression of bleeds or rates of neurosurgical interventions. In the transfusion recipients, there was a trend toward increased ICU LOS (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74-3.40) and in-hospital death (adjusted OR 3.23, 95% CI 0.48-21.74). CONCLUSION: There were no differences in outcomes between patients who received platelet transfusions and those who did not; however, the results suggest a worse clinical course, as indicated by greater ICU LOS and mortality, in the transfusion recipients. Routine platelet transfusion may not be warranted in patients taking ASA or clopidogrel who experience a tICH, as it may increase ICU LOS and mortality risk.

Development of cerebral vasospasm following traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Limited evidence exists characterizing the incidence, risk factors, and clinical associations of cerebral vasospasm following traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH) on a large scale. Therefore, the authors sought to use data from a national inpatient registry to investigate these aspects of posttraumatic vasospasm (PTV) to further elucidate potential causes of neurological morbidity and mortality subsequent to the initial insult. METHODS: Weighted discharge data from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample from 2015 to 2018 were queried to identify patients with tICH who underwent diagnostic angiography in the same admission and, subsequently, those who developed angiographically confirmed cerebral vasospasm. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant associations between clinical covariates and the development of vasospasm, and a tICH vasospasm predictive model (tICH-VPM) was generated based on the effect sizes of these parameters. RESULTS: Among 5880 identified patients with tICH, 375 developed PTV corresponding to an incidence of 6.4%. Multivariable adjusted modeling determined that the following clinical covariates were independently associated with the development of PTV, among others: age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99; p < 0.001), admission Glasgow Coma Scale score < 9 (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.12-2.90; p = 0.015), intraventricular hemorrhage (aOR 6.27, 95% CI 3.49-11.26; p < 0.001), tobacco smoking (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.02-1.80; p = 0.035), cocaine use (aOR 3.62, 95% CI 1.97-6.63; p < 0.001), fever (aOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.34-3.27; p = 0.001), and hypokalemia (aOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.26-2.08; p < 0.001). The tICH-VPM achieved moderately high discrimination, with an area under the curve of 0.75 (sensitivity = 0.61 and specificity = 0.81). Development of vasospasm was independently associated with a lower likelihood of routine discharge (aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45-0.78; p < 0.001) and an extended hospital length of stay (aOR 3.53, 95% CI 2.78-4.48; p < 0.001), but not with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based analysis of vasospasm in tICH has identified common clinical risk factors for its development, and has established an independent association between the development of vasospasm and poorer neurological outcomes.

Rapid detection of platelet inhibition and dysfunction in traumatic brain injury: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Rapid platelet function testing is frequently used to determine platelet function in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH). Accuracy and clinical significance of decreased platelet response detected by these tests is not well understood. We sought to determine whether VerifyNow and whole blood aggregometry (WBA) can detect poor platelet response and to elucidate its clinical significance for tICH patients. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with isolated tICH between 2018 and 2020. Demographics, medical history, injury characteristics, and patient outcomes were recorded. Platelet function was determined by VerifyNow and WBA testing at the time of arrival to the trauma bay and 6 hours later. RESULTS: A total of 221 patients were enrolled, including 111 patients on no antiplatelet medication, 78 on aspirin, 6 on clopidogrel, and 26 on aspirin and clopidogrel. In the trauma bay, 29.7% and 67.7% of patients on no antiplatelet medication had poor platelet response on VerifyNow and WBA, respectively. Among patients on aspirin, 72.2% and 82.2% had platelet dysfunction on VerifyNow and WBA. Among patients on clopidogrel, 67.9% and 88.9% had platelet dysfunction on VerifyNow and WBA. Patients with nonresponsive platelets had similar in-hospital mortality (3 [3.0%] vs. 6 [6.3%], p = 0.324), tICH progression (26 [27.1%] vs. 24 [26.1%], p = 0.877), intensive care unit admission rates (34 [34.3%] vs. 38 [40.0%), p = 0.415), and length of stay (3 [interquartile range, 2-8] vs. 3.2 [interquartile range, 2-7], p = 0.818) to those with responsive platelets. Platelet transfusion did not improve platelet response or patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: Rapid platelet function testing detects a highly prevalent poor platelet response among patients with tICH, irrespective of antiplatelet medication use. VerifyNow correlated fairly with whole blood aggregometry among patients with tICH and platelet responsiveness detectable by these tests did not correlate with clinical outcomes. In addition, our results suggest that platelet transfusion may not improve clinical outcomes in patients with tICH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic tests, level II.

Platelet dysfunction in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: Do desmopressin and platelet therapy help or harm?

BACKGROUND: Pre-injury anti-platelet use has been associated with increased risk of progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (TICH) and worse outcomes. VerifyNow® assays assess platelet inhibition due to aspirin/clopidogrel. This study assesses the outcomes of patients with TICH and platelet dysfunction treated with desmopressin and/or platelets. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with mild TICH at a level 1 trauma center 1/1/2013-6/1/2016. Patients with documented platelet dysfunction who received desmopressin and/or platelets were compared to those who were untreated. Primary outcomes were progression of TICH and neurologic outcomes at discharge. RESULTS: Of 565 patients with a mild TICH, 200 patients had evidence of platelet dysfunction (a positive VerifyNow® assay). Patients had similar baseline demographics, injury characteristics, and rate of TICH progression; but patients who received desmopressin and/or platelets had worse Glasgow Outcomes Score at discharge. CONCLUSION: Treatment of patients with mild TICH and platelet dysfunction with desmopressin and/or platelets did not affect TICH progression but correlated with worse neurologic status at discharge.

Progression of Intracranial Hemorrhage After Chemical Prophylaxis Using Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Chemical prophylaxis using low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is considered a standard of care for venous thromboembolism in trauma patients. Our center performs a head computed tomography (CT) scan 24 hours after initiation with prophylactic LMWH in the setting of a known traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose was to determine the overall incidence of ICH progression after chemoprophylaxis in patients with a TBI. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed at a Level I trauma center, from 1/1/2014 to 12/31/2017. Study patients were drawn from the institution's trauma registry based on Abbreviated Injury Score codes. RESULTS: 778 patients met all inclusion criteria after initial chart review. The proportion of patients with an observed radiographic progression of intracranial hemorrhage after LMWH was 5.8%. 3.1% of patients had a change in clinical management. Observed radiographic progression after LMWH prophylaxis and the presence of SDH on initial CT, the bilateral absence of pupillary response in the emergency department, and a diagnosis of dementia were found to have statistically significant correlation with bleed progression after LMWH was initiated. CONCLUSION: Over a 4-year period, the use of CT to evaluate for radiographic progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage 24 hours after receiving LMWH resulted in a change in clinical management for 3.1% of patients. The odds of intracranial hemorrhage progression were approximately 6.5× greater in patients with subdural hemorrhage on initial CT, 3.1× greater in patients with lack of bilateral pupillary response in ED, and 4.2× greater in patients who had been diagnosed with dementia.

Viscoelastic Hemostatic Assays and Outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy in traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs frequently and is associated with poor outcomes. Conventional coagulation assays (CCA) traditionally used to diagnose coagulopathy are often not time sensitive and do not assess complete hemostatic function. Viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHAs) including thromboelastography and rotational thromboelastography provide a useful rapid and comprehensive point-of-care alternative for identifying coagulopathy, which is of significant consequence in patients with TBI with intracranial hemorrhage. METHODS: A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to identify studies comparing VHA with CCA in adult patients with TBI. The following differences in outcomes were assessed based on ability to diagnose coagulopathy: mortality, need for neurosurgical intervention, and progression of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH). RESULTS: Abnormal reaction time (R time), maximum amplitude, and K value were associated with increased mortality in certain studies but not all studies. This association was reflected across studies using different statistical parameters with different outcome definitions. An abnormal R time was the only VHA parameter found to be associated with the need for neurosurgical intervention in 1 study. An abnormal R time was also the only VHA parameter associated with progression of tICH. Overall, many studies also reported abnormal CCAs, mainly activated partial thromboplastin time, to be associated with poor outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Given the heterogenous nature of the available evidence including methodology and study outcomes, the comparative difference between VHA and CCA in predicting rates of neurosurgical intervention, tICH progression, or mortality in patients with TBI remains inconclusive.

Coagulopathy and Progression of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Traumatic Brain Injury: Mechanisms, Impact, and Therapeutic Considerations.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the most challenging health and socioeconomic problems of our times. Clinical courses may be complicated by hemostatic abnormalities either pre-existing or developing with TBI. OBJECTIVE: To review frequencies, patterns, mechanisms, novel approaches to diagnostics, treatment, and outcomes of hemorrhagic progression and coagulopathy after TBI. METHODS: Selective review of the literature in the databases Medline (PubMed) and Cochrane Reviews using different combinations of the relevant search terms was conducted. RESULTS: Of the patients, 20% with isolated TBI display laboratory coagulopathy upon hospital admission with profound effect on morbidity and mortality. Preinjury use of antithrombotic agents may be associated with higher rates of hemorrhagic progression and delayed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Further testing may display various changes affecting platelet function/numbers, pro- and/or anticoagulant factors, and fibrinolysis as well as interactions between brain tissues, vascular endothelium, mechanisms of inflammation, and blood flow dynamics. The nature of hemostatic disruptions after TBI remains elusive but current evidence suggests the presence of both a hyper- and hypocoagulable state with possible overlap and lack of distinction between phases and states. More "global" hemostatic assays, eg, viscoelastic and thrombin generation tests, may provide more detailed and timely information on the overall hemostatic potential thereby allowing early "goal-directed" therapies. CONCLUSION: Whether timely and targeted management of hemostatic abnormalities after TBI can protect against secondary brain injury and thereby improve outcomes remains elusive. Innovative technologies for diagnostics and monitoring offer windows of opportunities for precision medicine approaches to managing TBI.

Minor Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage: Identifying Prognostic Factors and Comparing Patients with Favorable and Unfavorable Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Whether patients with minor traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (MTICH) require intensive care remains uncertain. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the postinjury neurologic outcomes of patients with MTICH to determine optimal care. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of all patients with trauma discharged from a tertiary trauma center during a 2-year period and included adult patients with isolated MTICH. Patient Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at discharge was the primary outcome measurement. A GOS score of 4 or 5 was defined as a favorable outcome, and a score of 1-3 was considered an unfavorable outcome. We compared the clinical data between favorable and unfavorable outcome groups to determine the differences between groups. RESULTS: Of the 11,814 patients considered, we identified 534 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Older adults accounted for 35.4% of the study cohort. Only 4 complications (0.7%) and 1 mortality (0.2%) were observed during hospitalization. The number of patients who requiring brain surgery, transfusion, mechanical ventilation, pressor, or invasive monitor was 5 (0.9%), 5 (0.9%), 3 (5.6%), 0 (0%), and 0 (0%), respectively. After multivariate analysis, we discovered that comorbidities, brain surgery requirement, respiratory rate, and Trauma Injury Severity Score were strongly associated with patient GOS score at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: MTICH rarely resulted in permanent morbidity and mortality. Older patients exhibited higher incidences of MTICH and were at a higher risk for unfavorable outcomes.

Effects of STC on postoperative recovery of disturbance of consciousness in traumatic multiple intracranial hematoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: The study explored the therapeutic value of standard trauma craniectomy (STC) for the treatment of traumatic multiple intracranial hematoma. METHODS: Clinical data of traumatic multiple intracranial hematoma patients who underwent surgical treatment in 2014 and 2015 were collected. The STC group and a control group according to the surgical mode, 48 and 30 cases were randomly selected from each group, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed on the change in the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score from before the operation to 1 day, 1 week and 1 month postoperatively through repeated analysis of variance and Wilcoxon rank-sum analysis. RESULTS: Significant differences in the GCS were observed at different time points for the two operative modes (P < .01), and an interaction was observed between time and treatment groups (P < .05). The rates of change of the GCS score for the two surgical modes were most obviously different at 3 days and 1 week postoperatively (P ≤ .001, P < .01). No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of change of the GCS at 1 month postoperatively (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional craniotomy, STC has obvious effects on the recovery after disturbance of consciousness at 1 week postoperatively but does not result in a significant improvement in recovery at 1 month postoperatively.

Coagulopathy and its effect on treatment and mortality in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: The role of coagulopathy in patients with traumatic brain injury has remained elusive. In the present study, we aim to assess the prevalence of coagulopathy in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, their clinical features, and the effect of coagulopathy on treatment and mortality. METHODS: An observational, retrospective single-center cohort of consecutive patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage treated at Helsinki University Hospital between 01 January and 31 December 2010. We compared clinical and radiological parameters in patients with and without coagulopathy defined as drug- or disease-induced, i.e., antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication at a therapeutic dose, thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 E9/L), international normalized ratio > 1.2, or thromboplastin time < 60%. Primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Logistic regression analysis allowed to assess for factors associated with coagulopathy and mortality. RESULTS: Of our 505 patients (median age 61 years, 65.5% male), 206 (40.8%) had coagulopathy. Compared to non-coagulopathy patients, coagulopathy patients had larger hemorrhage volumes (mean 140.0 mL vs. 98.4 mL, p < 0.001) and higher 30-day mortality (18.9% vs. 9.7%, p = 0.003). In multivariable analysis, older age, lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, larger hemorrhage volume, and conservative treatment were independently associated with mortality. Surgical treatment was associated with lower mortality in both patients with and without coagulopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Coagulopathy was more frequent in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage presenting larger hemorrhage volumes compared to non-coagulopathy patients but was not independently associated with higher 30-day mortality. Hematoma evacuation, in turn, was associated with lower mortality irrespective of coagulopathy.

Evaluation of balance functions using temporo-spatial gait analysis parameters in patients with brain lesions.

This study aimed to compare gait analysis and balance function measurements, such as the Berg balance scale (BBS) score to seek specific measurements that can represent the balance functions of patients with brain lesions. Additionally, we also compared other different gait function scale scores with gait analysis measurements. This study included 77 patients with brain lesions admitted to our institution between January 2017 and August 2020. Their gait analysis parameters and clinical data, including personal data; clinical diagnosis; duration of the disease; cognition, ambulation, and stair-climbing sub-scores of the modified Barthel index (MBI); manual muscle test (MMT) findings of both lower extremities; functional ambulation category (FAC); and BBS score, were retrospectively analyzed. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the gait analysis parameters that would significantly correlate with the balance function and other physical performances. In the results, the BBS scores were significantly correlated with the gait speed and step width/height2. However, the other gait function measurements, such as the FAC and ambulation and stair-climbing sub-scores of the MBI, were correlated only with the gait speed. Additionally, both the summations of the lower extremity MMT findings and anti-gravity lower extremity MMT findings were correlated with the average swing phase time. Therefore, in the gait analysis, the gait speed may be an important factor in determining the balance and gait functions of the patients with brain lesions. Moreover, the step width/height2 may be a significant factor in determining their balance function. However, further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm this relationship.