A Consensus-Based Interpretation of the Benchmark Evidence from South American Trials: Treatment of Intracranial Pressure Trial

Clinical observations in acute neurology: A historical explanation of the present

BACKGROUND

The history of the development of acute neurologic disease as a biologic mechanism is of interest. Equally important is how it translated to the bedside and how the clinical examination differentiated itself.

METHODS

This paper reviews primary sources pertaining to acute neurologic conditions described mostly in the 19th and 20th century. A review of monographs, treatises, textbooks, and peer-reviewed articles was conducted.

RESULTS

The evolution of clinical signs and syndromes associated with dynamic intracranial pathologies was predicated on the idea that animal studies informed clinicians, who then linked clinical signs to these observations. A dominant theme is that innovative technologies could trace acute processes through all their various stages, affording a complete picture of the disease process. Just as clinical descriptors of central nervous system processes evolved, the presentation of acute neuromuscular respiratory failure became better defined. Once practices incorporated these acute clinical signs, textbooks cemented their "gold standard" status with relative impunity.

CONCLUSIONS

The practise of acute neurology and neurocritical care must find out what, historically, others were seeking but could not find. Patterns of clinical presentation in acute neurology are sufficiently recognizable to guide practise decisions. Although, the currently well-documented clinical syndromes of acute neurologic conditions (at presentation and during deterioration) have been taught for generations, practitioners have noted that they lack consistency and predictability. History also taught us that part of this improved knowledge came with designated units-a clear example of how protean systems (not always innovative neurologists or neuroscientists or technologies) shaped the history of neurology.

International e-Delphi survey to define best practice in the reporting of intracranial pressure monitoring recording data

Introduction

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is a very commonly performed neurosurgical procedure but there is a wide variation in how it is reported, hindering analysis of it. The current study sought to generate consensus on the reporting of ICP monitoring recording data.

Research question

"What should be included in an ICP monitoring report?"

Material and methods

The exercise was completed via a modified eDelphi survey. An expert panel discussion was held from which themes were identified and used to produce a code to annotate the transcript of the discussion. Statements were generated for a further two rounds of electronic questionnaires distributed via the REDcap platform. A Likert scale was used to grade agreement with each statement in the survey. A statement was accepted if more than 70% agreement was achieved between respondents. Data was collated using Microsoft Excel and analysed using R.

Results

149 relevant statements were identified from the transcript and categorised into recording parameters, waveform characteristics or reporting. A total of 22 statements were generated for the first round of the survey which was answered by 39 respondents. Following the electronic round of surveys consensus was achieved for all but one statement regarding the acceptability of automating ICP reporting. This was put forward to a second round after which 79% agreement was reached.

Discussion and conclusion

The themes and statements from this eDelphi can be used as a framework to allow the standardisation of the reporting of intracranial pressure monitoring data.

Initial experience with a state-of-the-art mobile head CT scanner for use in neurointensive care units

OBJECTIVE

Mobile head computed tomography (CT) scanners can reduce transport-related complications in neurointensive care unit (NICU) patients and decrease the burden on NICU staff; however, the initial investment cost and reduced image quality of early mobile scanners have prevented their widespread clinical use. Here, we report our initial experience with a novel 32-row mobile CT scanner for use in NICUs.

METHODS

Over a 2-year period, 107 patients received a mobile head CT scan. The technical characteristics of the scanner and the organizational procedures are described in detail. Patient characteristics were retrospectively collected and image quality was subjectively evaluated on a Likert scale ranging from 0 to 5 and compared with a stationary CT scanner.

RESULTS

Mobile head CT was used for follow-up of intracranial hemorrhage in 51%, routine postoperative imaging in 28%, evaluation of neurological deterioration in 14%, bedside monitoring after external ventricular drain placement in 4%, and follow-up of ischemic stroke in 3% of cases. Diagnostic imaging quality was achieved in all cases, eliminating the need for stationary CT scanning. The overall image quality of mobile CT (median 4 points) was inferior to that of conventional stationary CT (median 5 points, p < 0.01), but was rated with 4 or 5 points in the majority of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

State-of-the-art mobile CT was found to be easy to use and maneuver and has the potential to expedite the diagnosis of NICU patients and reduce staff workload. Image quality was adequate for common NICU issues.

State-of-the-art mobile head CT scanner delivers nearly the same image quality as a conventional stationary CT scanner

The use of mobile head CT scanners in the neurointensive care unit (NICU) saves time for patients and NICU staff and can reduce transport-related mishaps, but the reduced image quality of previous mobile scanners has prevented their widespread clinical use. This study compares the image quality of SOMATOM On.Site (Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany), a state-of-the-art mobile head CT scanner, and a conventional 64-slice stationary CT scanner. The study included 40 patients who underwent head scans with both mobile and stationary scanners. Gray and white matter signal and noise were measured at predefined locations on axial slices, and signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were calculated. Artifacts below the cranial calvaria and in the posterior fossa were also measured. In addition, image quality was subjectively assessed by two radiologists in terms of corticomedullary differentiation, subcalvarial space, skull artifacts, and image noise. Quantitative measurements showed significantly higher image quality of the stationary CT scanner in terms of noise, SNR and CNR of gray and white matter. Artifacts measured in the posterior fossa were higher with the mobile CT scanner, but subcalvarial artifacts were comparable. Subjective image quality was rated similarly by two radiologists for both scanners in all domains except image noise, which was better for stationary CT scans. The image quality of the SOMATOM On.Site for brain scans is inferior to that of the conventional stationary scanner, but appears to be adequate for daily use in a clinical setting based on subjective ratings.

Patterns and outcomes of intracranial pressure monitoring in traumatic brain injury: An analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

INTRODUCTION

Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) can cause progressive neurological deterioration following traumatic brain injury (TBI). ICP can be monitored to guide subsequent treatment decisions. However, there is conflicting data in the literature regarding the utility of ICP monitoring. We aim to describe patterns and outcomes of ICP monitoring in the United States with the use of a nationwide healthcare database.

METHODS

We performed a 5-year analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. We identified all adult TBI patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) measuring 3-8 using International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes. Propensity score matching (1:2 ratio) was performed to control for demographics, injury parameters and comorbidities. Outcome measures included inpatient mortality, length of stay (LOS), cost of care, and discharge disposition.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, a cohort of 1664 patients was obtained (monitored, 555; non-monitored, 1109). Index outcomes with respect to monitor and no-monitor are as follows: inpatient mortality (35.1%, 42.4%, P <0.01), median LOS (15 days, 6 days, P<0.001), median total charge (289,797 USD, 154,223 USD, P <0.001), discharge home (7.9%, 19.3%, P <0.001) and discharge to another facility (53.9%, 35.4%, P <0.001).

DISCUSSION

ICP monitoring in TBI patients is associated with decreased inpatient mortality and discharge to home, and it is associated with an increased hospital LOS, total charge, and chance of discharge to another facility.

CONCLUSION

The risks and benefits of ICP monitoring should be seriously considered when managing adults with severe TBI.

Critical ICP thresholds in relation to outcome: Is 22 mmHg really the answer?

PURPOSE

Intensive care for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) aims, among other tasks, at avoiding high intracranial pressure (ICP), which is perceived to worsen motor and cognitive deficits and increase mortality. International recommendations for threshold values for ICP were increased from 20 to 22 mmHg in 2016 following the findings in a study by Sorrentino et al., which were based on an observational study of patients with TBI of averaged ICP values. We aimed to reproduce their approach and validate the findings in a separate cohort.

METHODS

Three hundred thirty-one patients with TBI were included and categorised according to survival/death and favourable/unfavourable outcome at 6 months (based on Glasgow Outcome Score-Extended of 6-8 and 1-5, respectively). Repeated chi-square tests of survival and death (or favourable and unfavourable outcome) vs. high and low ICP were conducted with discrimination between high and low ICP sets at increasing values (integers) between 10 and 35 mmHg, using the average ICP for the entire monitoring period. The ICP limit returning the highest chi-square score was assumed to be the threshold with best discriminative ability. This approach was repeated after stratification by sex, age, and initial Glasgow Coma Score (GCS).

RESULTS

An ICP limit of 18 mmHg was found for both mortality and unfavourable outcome for the entire cohort. The female and the low GCS subgroups both had threshold values of 18 mmHg; for all other subgroups, the threshold varied between 16 and 30 mmHg. According to a multiple logistic regression analysis, age, initial GCS, and average ICP are independently associated with mortality and outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Using identical methods and closely comparable cohorts, the critical thresholds for ICP found in the study by Sorrentino et al. could not be reproduced.

Utility of intracranial pressure monitoring in patients with traumatic brain injuries: a propensity score matching analysis of TQIP data

PURPOSE

Intracranial pressure monitoring (ICPM) is central to traumatic brain injury (TBI) management, but its utility is controversial.

METHODS

The 2016-2017 TQIP database was queried for isolated TBI. Patients with ICPM [(ICPM (+)] were propensity-score matched (PSM) to those without ICPM [ICPM (-)] and divided into three age groups by years (< 18, 18-54, ≥  55).

RESULTS

PSM yielded 2125 patients in each group. Patients aged < 18 years had a higher survival probability (p = 0.013) and decreased mortality (p = 0.016) in the ICPM (+) group. Complications were higher and LOS was longer in ICPM (+) patients aged 18-54 years and ≥ 55 years, but not in patients aged < 18 years.

CONCLUSIONS

ICPM (+) is associated with a survival benefit without an increase in complications in patents aged < 18 years. In patients aged ≥ 18 years, ICPM (+) is associated with more complications and longer LOS without a survival benefit.

Development of a Randomized Trial Comparing ICP-Monitor-Based Management of Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury to Management Based on Imaging and Clinical Examination Without ICP Monitoring-Research Algorithms

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The efficacy of our current approach to incorporating intracranial pressure (ICP) data into pediatric severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) management is incompletely understood, lacking data from multicenter, prospective, randomized studies. The National Institutes of Health-supported Benchmark Evidence from Latin America-Treatment of Raised Intracranial Pressure-Pediatrics trial will compare outcomes from pediatric sTBI of a management protocol based on ICP monitoring vs 1 based on imaging and clinical examination without monitoring. Because no applicable comprehensive management algorithms for either cohort are available, it was necessary to develop them.

METHODS

A consensus conference involving the 21 intensivists and neurosurgeons from the 8 trial sites used Delphi-based methodology to formulate management algorithms for both study cohorts. We included recommendations from the latest Brain Trauma Foundation pediatric sTBI guidelines and the consensus-based adult algorithms (Seattle International Brain Injury Consensus Conference/Consensus Revised Imaging and Clinical Examination) wherever relevant. We used a consensus threshold of 80%.

RESULTS

We developed comprehensive management algorithms for monitored and nonmonitored cohort children with sTBI. We defined suspected intracranial hypertension for the nonmonitored group, set minimum number and timing of computed tomography scans, specified minimal age-adjusted mean arterial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure targets, defined clinical neuroworsening, described minimal requisites for intensive care unit management, produced tiered management algorithms for both groups, and listed treatments not routinely used.

CONCLUSION

We will study these protocols in the Benchmark Evidence from Latin America-Treatment of Raised Intracranial Pressure-Pediatrics trial in low- and middle-income countries. Second, we present them here for consideration as prototype pediatric sTBI management algorithms in the absence of published alternatives, acknowledging their limited evidentiary status. Therefore, herein, we describe our study design only, not recommended treatment protocols.

Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in Children With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis Using a Nationwide Inpatient Database in Japan

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Clinical benefits of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in the management of children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) are not universally agreed upon. We investigated the association between ICP monitoring and outcomes in children with severe TBI using a nationwide inpatient database.

METHODS

This observational study used the Japanese Diagnostic Procedure Combination inpatient database from July 1, 2010, to March 31, 2020. We included patients younger than 18 years, admitted to the intensive care unit or high-dependency unit with severe TBI. Patients who died or were discharged on the day of admission were excluded. One-to-four propensity score matching was performed to compare patients who underwent ICP monitoring on the day of admission with those who did not. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Mixed-effects linear regression analysis compared outcomes and estimated the interaction between ICP monitoring and subgroups in matched cohorts.

RESULTS

Of the 2116 eligible children, 252 received ICP monitoring on the day of admission. One-to-4 propensity score matching selected 210 patients who had ICP monitoring on admission day and 840 patients who did not. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients who underwent ICP monitoring than those who did not (12.7% vs 17.9%; within-hospital difference, -4.2%; 95% CI, -8.1% to -0.4%). There was no significant difference in the proportion of unfavorable outcomes (Barthel index <60 or death) at discharge, proportion of enteral nutrition at discharge, length of hospital stay, and total hospitalization cost. Subgroup analyses demonstrated a quantitative interaction between ICP monitoring and the Japan Coma Scale ( P < .001).

CONCLUSION

ICP monitoring was associated with lower in-hospital mortality in children with severe TBI. Our results demonstrated the clinical benefits of ICP monitoring in managing pediatric TBI. The advantages of ICP monitoring may be amplified in children who exhibit the most severe disturbances of consciousness.

External Ventricular Drains versus Intraparenchymal Pressure Monitors in the Management of Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Experience at Two Academic Centers over a Decade

OBJECTIVE

The choice between external ventricular drain (EVD) and intraparenchymal monitor (IPM) for managing intracranial pressure in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) patients remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with receiving EVD versus IPM and to compare outcomes and clinical management between EVD and IPM patients.

METHODS

Adult msTBI patients at 2 similar academic institutions were identified. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with receiving EVD versus IPM (model 1) and to compare EVD versus IPM in relation to patient outcomes after controlling for potential confounders (model 2), through odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Of 521 patients, 167 (32.1%) had EVD and 354 (67.9%) had IPM. Mean age, sex, and Injury Severity Score were comparable between groups. Epidural hemorrhage (EDH) (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.85), greater midline shift (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.98), and the hospital with higher volume (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.09-0.22) were independently associated with lower odds of receiving an EVD whereas patients needing a craniectomy were more likely to receive an EVD (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.12-3.73). EVD patients received more intense medical treatment requiring hyperosmolar therapy compared to IPM patients (64.1% vs. 40.1%). No statistically significant differences were found in patient outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

While EDH, greater midline shift, and hospital with larger patient volume were associated with receiving an IPM, the need for a craniectomy was associated with receiving an EVD. EVD patients received different clinical management than IPM patients with no significant differences in patient outcomes.

Comparative Effectiveness of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring on 6-Month Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Importance

While the relationship between persistent elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) and poorer outcomes is well established for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is no consensus on how ICP measurements should drive treatment choices, and the effectiveness of ICP monitoring remains unknown.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of ICP monitoring on short- and mid-term outcomes of patients with TBI.

Design, Setting, and Participants

CREACTIVE was a prospective cohort study that started in March 2014 and lasted 5 years. More than 8000 patients with TBI were enrolled at 83 intensive care units (ICUs) from 7 countries who joined the CREACTIVE Consortium. Patients with TBI who met the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines for ICP monitoring were selected for the current analyses, which were performed from January to November 2022.

Exposure

Patients who underwent ICP monitoring within 2 days of injury (exposure group) were propensity score-matched to patients who were not monitored or who underwent monitoring 2 days after the injury (control group).

Main Outcome and Measure

Functional disability at 6 months as indicated by Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) score.

Results

A total of 1448 patients from 43 ICUs in Italy and Hungary were eligible for analysis. Of the patients satisfying the ICP-monitoring guidelines, 503 (34.7%) underwent ICP monitoring (median [IQR] age: 45 years [29-61 years]; 392 males [77.9%], 111 females [22.1%]) and 945 were not monitored (median [IQR] age: 66 years [48-78 years]; 656 males [69.4%], 289 females [30.6%]). After matching to balance the variables, worse 6-month recovery was observed for monitored patients compared with nonmonitored patients (death/vegetative state: 39.2% vs 40.6%; severe disability: 33.2% vs 25.4%; moderate disability: 15.7% vs 14.9%; good recovery: 11.9% vs 19.1%, respectively; P = .005). Monitored patients received medical therapies significantly more frequently.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, ICP monitoring was associated with poorer recovery and more frequent medical interventions with their relevant adverse effects. Optimizing the value of ICP monitoring for TBI requires further investigation on monitoring indications, clinical interventions, and management protocols.

Perceived Utility of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Seattle International Brain Injury Consensus Conference Consensus-Based Analysis and Recommendations

BACKGROUND

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is widely practiced, but the indications are incompletely developed, and guidelines are poorly followed.

OBJECTIVE

To study the monitoring practices of an established expert panel (the clinical working group from the Seattle International Brain Injury Consensus Conference effort) to examine the match between monitoring guidelines and their clinical decision-making and offer guidance for clinicians considering monitor insertion.

METHODS

We polled the 42 Seattle International Brain Injury Consensus Conference panel members' ICP monitoring decisions for virtual patients, using matrices of presenting signs (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] total or GCS motor, pupillary examination, and computed tomography diagnosis). Monitor insertion decisions were yes, no, or unsure (traffic light approach). We analyzed their responses for weighting of the presenting signs in decision-making using univariate regression.

RESULTS

Heatmaps constructed from the choices of 41 panel members revealed wider ICP monitor use than predicted by guidelines. Clinical examination (GCS) was by far the most important characteristic and differed from guidelines in being nonlinear. The modified Marshall computed tomography classification was second and pupils third. We constructed a heatmap and listed the main clinical determinants representing 80% ICP monitor insertion consensus for our recommendations.

CONCLUSION

Candidacy for ICP monitoring exceeds published indicators for monitor insertion, suggesting the clinical perception that the value of ICP data is greater than simply detecting and monitoring severe intracranial hypertension. Monitor insertion heatmaps are offered as potential guidance for ICP monitor insertion and to stimulate research into what actually drives monitor insertion in unconstrained, real-world conditions.

Current status and outlook for the management of intracranial hypertension after traumatic brain injury: decompressive craniectomy, therapeutic hypothermia, and barbiturates

INTRODUCTION

Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) has been associated with poor neurological outcomes and increased mortality in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traditionally, ICP-lowering therapies are administered using an escalating approach, with more aggressive options reserved for patients showing no response to first-tier interventions, or with refractory intracranial hypertension.

DEVELOPMENT

The therapeutic value and the appropriate timing for the use of rescue treatments for intracranial hypertension have been a subject of constant debate in literature. In this review, we discuss the main management options for refractory intracranial hypertension after severe TBI in adults. We intend to conduct an in-depth revision of the most representative randomised controlled trials on the different rescue treatments, including decompressive craniectomy, therapeutic hypothermia, and barbiturates. We also discuss future perspectives for these management options.

CONCLUSIONS

The available evidence appears to show that mortality can be reduced when rescue interventions are used as last-tier therapy; however, this benefit comes at the cost of severe disability. The decision of whether to perform these interventions should always be patient-centred and made on an individual basis. The development and integration of different physiological variables through multimodality monitoring is of the utmost importance to provide more robust prognostic information to patients facing these challenging decisions.

Testing the Impact of Protocolized Care of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Without Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: The Imaging and Clinical Examination Protocol

BACKGROUND

Most patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) in low- or-middle-income countries and surprisingly many in high-income countries are managed without intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The impact of the first published protocol (Imaging and Clinical Examination [ICE] protocol) is untested against nonprotocol management.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs) using the ICE protocol have lower mortality and better neurobehavioral functioning than those treated in ICUs using no protocol.

METHODS

This study involved nineteen mostly public South American hospitals. This is a prospective cohort study, enrolling patients older than 13 years with sTBI presenting within 24 h of injury (January 2014-July 2015) with 6-mo postinjury follow-up. Five hospitals treated all sTBI cases using the ICE protocol; 14 used no protocol. Primary outcome was prespecified composite of mortality, orientation, functional outcome, and neuropsychological measures.

RESULTS

A total of 414 patients (89% male, mean age 34.8 years) enrolled; 81% had 6 months of follow-up. All participants included in composite outcome analysis: average percentile (SD) = 46.8 (24.0) nonprotocol, 56.9 (24.5) protocol. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) used to account for center effects (confounder-adjusted difference [95% CI] = 12.2 [4.6, 19.8], P = .002). Kaplan-Meier 6-month mortality (95% CI) = 36% (30%, 43%) nonprotocol, 25% (19%, 31%) protocol (GEE and confounder-adjusted hazard ratio [95% CI] = .69 [.43, 1.10], P = .118). Six-month Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale for 332 participants: average Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale score (SD) = 3.6 (2.6) nonprotocol, 4.7 (2.8) protocol (GEE and confounder-adjusted and lost to follow-up-adjusted difference [95% CI] = 1.36 [.55, 2.17], P = .001).

CONCLUSION

ICUs managing patients with sTBI using the ICE protocol had better functional outcome than those not using a protocol. ICUs treating patients with sTBI without ICP monitoring should consider protocolization. The ICE protocol, tested here and previously, is 1 option.

How to manage traumatic brain injury without invasive monitoring?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an extremely serious health problem, especially in low-middle income countries (LMICs). The prevalence of severe TBI continues to increase in LMICs. Major limitations in the chain of care for TBI patients are common in LMICs including suboptimal or nonexistent prehospital care, overburdened emergency services, lack of trained human resources and limited availability of ICUs. Basic neuromonitoring, such as intracranial pressure, are unavailable or underutilized and advanced techniques are not available.

RECENT FINDINGS

Attention to fundamental principles of TBI care in LMICs, including early categorization, prevention and treatment of secondary insults, use of low-cost technology for evaluation of intracranial bleeding and neuromonitoring, and emphasis on education of human resources and multidisciplinary work, are particularly important in LMICs. Institutional collaborations between high-income and LMICs have developed evidence focused on available resources. Accordingly, an expert group have proposed consensus recommendations for centers without availability of invasive brain monitoring.

SUMMARY

Severe TBI is very prevalent in LMIC and neuromonitoring is often not available in these environments. When intracranial pressure monitors are not available, careful attention to changes on clinical examination, serial imaging and noninvasive monitoring techniques can help recognize intracranial hypertension and effectively guide treatment decisions.

A Precision Medicine Agenda in Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury remains a leading cause of death and disability across the globe. Substantial uncertainty in outcome prediction continues to be the rule notwithstanding the existing prediction models. Additionally, despite very promising preclinical data, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of neuroprotective strategies in moderate and severe TBI have failed to demonstrate significant treatment effects. Better predictive models are needed, as the existing validated ones are more useful in prognosticating poor outcome and do not include biomarkers, genomics, proteonomics, metabolomics, etc. Invasive neuromonitoring long believed to be a "game changer" in the care of TBI patients have shown mixed results, and the level of evidence to support its widespread use remains insufficient. This is due in part to the extremely heterogenous nature of the disease regarding its etiology, pathology and severity. Currently, the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the acute setting is centered on neurological examination and neuroimaging tools such as CT scanning and MRI, and its treatment has been largely confronted using a "one-size-fits-all" approach, that has left us with many unanswered questions. Precision medicine is an innovative approach for TBI treatment that considers individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle and has expanded across the medical fields. In this article, we briefly explore the field of precision medicine in TBI including biomarkers for therapeutic decision-making, multimodal neuromonitoring, and genomics.

Intracranial pressure monitoring in patients with acute brain injury in the intensive care unit (SYNAPSE-ICU): an international, prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

The indications for intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in patients with acute brain injury and the effects of ICP on patients' outcomes are uncertain. The aims of this study were to describe current ICP monitoring practises for patients with acute brain injury at centres around the world and to assess variations in indications for ICP monitoring and interventions, and their association with long-term patient outcomes.

METHODS

We did a prospective, observational cohort study at 146 intensive care units (ICUs) in 42 countries. We assessed for eligibility all patients aged 18 years or older who were admitted to the ICU with either acute brain injury due to primary haemorrhagic stroke (including intracranial haemorrhage or subarachnoid haemorrhage) or traumatic brain injury. We included patients with altered levels of consciousness at ICU admission or within the first 48 h after the brain injury, as defined by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) eye response score of 1 (no eye opening) and a GCS motor response score of at least 5 (not obeying commands). Patients not admitted to the ICU or with other forms of acute brain injury were excluded from the study. Between-centre differences in use of ICP monitoring were quantified by using the median odds ratio (MOR). We used the therapy intensity level (TIL) to quantify practice variations in ICP interventions. Primary endpoints were 6 month mortality and 6 month Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) score. A propensity score method with inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to estimate the association between use of ICP monitoring and these 6 month outcomes, independently of measured baseline covariates. This study is registered with ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT03257904.

FINDINGS

Between March 15, 2018, and April 30, 2019, 4776 patients were assessed for eligibility and 2395 patients were included in the study, including 1287 (54%) with traumatic brain injury, 587 (25%) with intracranial haemorrhage, and 521 (22%) with subarachnoid haemorrhage. The median age of patients was 55 years (IQR 39-69) and 1567 (65%) patients were male. Considerable variability was recorded in the use of ICP monitoring across centres (MOR 4·5, 95% CI 3·8-4·9 between two randomly selected centres for patients with similar covariates). 6 month mortality was lower in patients who had ICP monitoring (441/1318 [34%]) than in those who were not monitored (517/1049 [49%]; p<0·0001). ICP monitoring was associated with significantly lower 6 month mortality in patients with at least one unreactive pupil (hazard ratio [HR] 0·35, 95% CI 0·26-0·47; p<0·0001), and better neurological outcome at 6 months (odds ratio 0·38, 95% CI 0·26-0·56; p=0·0025). Median TIL was higher in patients with ICP monitoring (9 [IQR 7-12]) than in those who were not monitored (5 [3-8]; p<0·0001) and an increment of one point in TIL was associated with a reduction in mortality (HR 0·94, 95% CI 0·91-0·98; p=0·0011).

INTERPRETATION

The use of ICP monitoring and ICP management varies greatly across centres and countries. The use of ICP monitoring might be associated with a more intensive therapeutic approach and with lower 6-month mortality in more severe cases. Intracranial hypertension treatment guided by monitoring might be considered in severe cases due to the potential associated improvement in long-term clinical results.

FUNDING

University of Milano-Bicocca and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

Outcome of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury at KSMC: Functional Outcomes of ICP Monitor Insertion-Two Years' Experience

PURPOSE

To evaluate functional outcomes of severe traumatic brain injuries after insertion of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitor at King Saud Medical City (KSMC) and their correlation to each other.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective observational study for all adult patients (age >18 years) who were diagnosed with severe head injury and underwent ICP insertion at KSMC. Patients diagnosed between 2017 and 2019 were included. Data for measured outcomes, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) and length of stay (LOS) and prognostic factors, data like: age, gender and primary Glasgow coma score (GCS) was obtained from patients' files and direct communication with patients or their caregivers. We also compared patients who underwent ICP monitoring alone with those who underwent ICP with decompressive craniectomy (DC). Follow-up period ranged from 6-24 months.

RESULTS

Seventy-four patients were included in this cohort study. Outcome measurements for patients with decompression and ICP were lower than those with ICP alone. KPS and GOS showed strong correlation (p<0.01) in whole cohort and in both subgroups (ICP alone and ICP with DC). KPS showed significant correlation with length of stay (p=0.026).

CONCLUSION

ICP monitoring is valid tool in management of severely head injured patients. Patients who underwent DC had a worse outcome. KPS can be used as alternative tool to measure functional outcome in severe traumatic brain injury.

Analysis of Normal High-Frequency Intracranial Pressure Values and Treatment Threshold in Neurocritical Care Patients: Insights into Normal Values and a Potential Treatment Threshold

Importance

Intracranial pressure (ICP) elevation is a compartment syndrome that impairs blood flow to the brain. Despite the importance of ICP values in neurocritical care, normal ICP values and the precise ICP threshold at which treatment should be initiated remain uncertain.

Objective

To refine our understanding of normal ICP values and determine the ICP threshold most strongly associated with outcome.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Prospective observational study (2004-2010), with outcomes determined at hospital discharge. The study included neurocritical care patients from a single level I trauma center, San Francisco General Hospital. Three hundred eighty-three patients had a traumatic brain injury with or without craniectomy; 140 patients had another indication for ICP monitoring. Consecutive patients were studied. Data analyses were completed between March 2015 and December 2019.

Exposures

Five hundred twenty-three ICP-monitored patients.

Main Outcomes and Measures

A computer system prospectively and automatically collected 1-minute physiologic data from patients in the intensive care unit during a 6-year period. Mean ICP was calculated, as was the proportion of ICP values greater than thresholds from 1 to 80 mm Hg in 1-mm Hg increments. The association between these measures and outcome was explored for various epochs up to 30 days from the time of injury. A principal component analysis was used to explore physiologic changes at various ICP thresholds, and elastic net regression was used to identify ICP thresholds most strongly associated with Glasgow Outcome Scale score at discharge.

Results

Of the 523 studied patients, 70.7% of studied patients were men (n = 370) and 72.1% had a traumatic brain injury (n = 377). A total of 4 090 964 1-minute ICP measurements were recorded for the included patients (7.78 years of recordings). Intracranial pressure values of 8 to 9 mm Hg were most commonly recorded and could possibly reflect normal values. The principal component analysis suggested state shifts in the physiome occurred at ICPs greater than 19 mm Hg and 24 mm Hg. Elastic net regression identified an ICP threshold of 19 mm Hg as most robustly associated with outcome when considering all neurocritical care patients, patients with TBI, and patients with TBI who underwent craniectomy. Intracranial pressure values greater than 19 mm Hg were associated with mortality, while lower values were associated with outcome in surviving patients.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study provides insight into what normal ICP values could be. An ICP threshold of 19 mm Hg was robustly associated with outcome in studied patients, although lower ICP values were associated with outcome in surviving patients.

Traumatic Brain Injury Update

Traumatic brain injury is a devastating, life-changing event in most cases. After the primary brain insult, it is helpful to use evidence-based monitoring techniques to guide implementation of essential interventions to minimize secondary injury and thereby improve patient outcomes. An update on multimodal neuromonitoring is provided in this narrative review, with discussion of tools and techniques currently used in the treatment of patients with brain injury. Neuroprotective treatments, from the well-studied targeted temperature management to new potential therapeutics under investigation, such as glyburide, also are presented.

Secondary Cerebral Ischemia at Traumatic Brain Injury Is More Closely Related to Cerebrovascular Reactivity Impairment than to Intracranial Hypertension

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the development of secondary cerebral ischemia (SCI), intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

89 patients with severe TBI with ICP monitoring were studied retrospectively. The mean age was 36.3 ± 4.8 years, 53 men, 36 women. The median Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) was 6.2 ± 0.7. The median Injury Severity Score was 38.2 ± 12.5. To specify the degree of impact of changes in ICP and CVR on the SCI progression in TBI patients, logistic regression was performed. Significant p-values were <0.05.

RESULTS

The deterioration of CVR in combination with the severity of ICP has a significant impact on the increase in the prevalence rate of SCI. A logistic regression analysis for a model of SCI dependence on intracranial hypertension and CVR was performed. The results of the analysis showed that CVR was the most significant factor affecting SCI development in TBI.

CONCLUSIONS

The development of SCI in severe TBI depends largely on CVR impairment and to a lesser extent on ICP level. Treatment for severe TBI patients with SCI progression should not be aimed solely at intracranial hypertension correction but also at CVR recovery.

Paths to Successful Translation of New Therapies for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in the Golden Age of Traumatic Brain Injury Research: A Pittsburgh Vision

New neuroprotective therapies for severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have not translated from pre-clinical to clinical success. Numerous explanations have been suggested in both the pre-clinical and clinical arenas. Coverage of TBI in the lay press has reinvigorated interest, creating a golden age of TBI research with innovative strategies to circumvent roadblocks. We discuss the need for more robust therapies. We present concepts for traditional and novel approaches to defining therapeutic targets. We review lessons learned from the ongoing work of the pre-clinical drug and biomarker screening consortium Operation Brain Trauma Therapy and suggest ways to further enhance pre-clinical consortia. Biomarkers have emerged that empower choice and assessment of target engagement by candidate therapies. Drug combinations may be needed, and it may require moving beyond conventional drug therapies. Precision medicine may also link the right therapy to the right patient, including new approaches to TBI classification beyond the Glasgow Coma Scale or anatomical phenotyping-incorporating new genetic and physiologic approaches. Therapeutic breakthroughs may also come from alternative approaches in clinical investigation (comparative effectiveness, adaptive trial design, use of the electronic medical record, and big data). The full continuum of care must also be represented in translational studies, given the important clinical role of pre-hospital events, extracerebral insults in the intensive care unit, and rehabilitation. TBI research from concussion to coma can cross-pollinate and further advancement of new therapies. Misconceptions can stifle/misdirect TBI research and deserve special attention. Finally, we synthesize an approach to deliver therapeutic breakthroughs in this golden age of TBI research.

Current status and outlook for the management of intracranial hypertension after traumatic brain injury: decompressive craniectomy, therapeutic hypothermia, and barbiturates

INTRODUCTION

Increased intracranial pressure has been associated with poor neurological outcomes and increased mortality in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Traditionally, intracranial pressure-lowering therapies are administered using an escalating approach, with more aggressive options reserved for patients showing no response to first-tier interventions, or with refractory intracranial hypertension.

DEVELOPMENT

The therapeutic value and the appropriate timing for the use of rescue treatments for intracranial hypertension have been a subject of constant debate in literature. In this review, we discuss the main management options for refractory intracranial hypertension after severe traumatic brain injury in adults. We intend to conduct an in-depth revision of the most representative randomised controlled trials on the different rescue treatments, including decompressive craniectomy, therapeutic hypothermia, and barbiturates. We also discuss future perspectives for these management options.

CONCLUSIONS

The available evidence appears to show that mortality can be reduced when rescue interventions are used as last-tier therapy; however, this benefit comes at the cost of severe disability. The decision of whether to perform these interventions should always be patient-centred and made on an individual basis. The development and integration of different physiological variables through multimodality monitoring is of the utmost importance to provide more robust prognostic information to patients facing these challenging decisions.

Intracranial Pressure and Intracranial Elastance Monitoring in Neurocritical Care

Patients with acute brain injuries tend to be physiologically unstable and at risk of rapid and potentially life-threatening decompensation due to shifts in intracranial compartment volumes and consequent intracranial hypertension. Invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring therefore remains a cornerstone of modern neurocritical care, despite the attendant risks of infection and damage to brain tissue arising from the surgical placement of a catheter or pressure transducer into the cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue compartments. In addition to ICP monitoring, tracking of the intracranial capacity to buffer shifts in compartment volumes would help in the assessment of patient state, inform clinical decision making, and guide therapeutic interventions. We review the anatomy, physiology, and current technology relevant to clinical management of patients with acute brain injury and outline unmet clinical needs to advance patient monitoring in neurocritical care.

Neuroemergencies in South America: How to Fill in the Gaps?

South America is a subcontinent with 393 million inhabitants with widely distinct countries and diverse ethnicities, cultures, political and societal organizations. The epidemiological transition that accompanied the technological and demographic evolution is happening in South America and leading to a rise in the incidence of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases that now coexist with the still high burden of infectious diseases. South America is also quite heterogeneous regarding the existence of systems of care for the various neurological emergencies, with some countries having well-organized systems for some diseases, while others have no plan of action for the care of patients with acute neurological symptoms. In this article, we discuss the existing systems of care in different countries of South America for the treatment of neurological emergencies, mainly stroke, status epilepticus, and traumatic brain injury. We also will address existing gaps between the current systems and recommendations from the literature to improve the management of such emergencies, as well as strategies on how to solve these disparities.

Measuring intracranial pressure by invasive, less invasive or non-invasive means: limitations and avenues for improvement

Sixty years have passed since neurosurgeon Nils Lundberg presented his thesis about intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, which represents a milestone for its clinical introduction. Monitoring of ICP has since become a clinical routine worldwide, and today represents a cornerstone in surveillance of patients with acute brain injury or disease, and a diagnostic of individuals with chronic neurological disease. There is, however, controversy regarding indications, clinical usefulness and the clinical role of the various ICP scores. In this paper, we critically review limitations and weaknesses with the current ICP measurement approaches for invasive, less invasive and non-invasive ICP monitoring. While risk related to the invasiveness of ICP monitoring is extensively covered in the literature, we highlight other limitations in current ICP measurement technologies, including limited ICP source signal quality control, shifts and drifts in zero pressure reference level, affecting mean ICP scores and mean ICP-derived indices. Control of the quality of the ICP source signal is particularly important for non-invasive and less invasive ICP measurements. We conclude that we need more focus on mitigation of the current limitations of today's ICP modalities if we are to improve the clinical utility of ICP monitoring.

Neurocritical Care Outcomes, Research, and Technology: A Review

Importance

Neurocritical care has grown into an organized specialty that may have consequences for patient care, outcomes, research, and neurointensive care (neuroICU) technology.

Observations

Neurocritical care improves care and outcomes of the patients who are neurocritically ill, and neuroICUs positively affect the financial state of health care systems. The development of neurocritical care as a recognized subspecialty has fostered multidisciplinary research, neuromonitoring, and neurocritical care information technology, with advances and innovations in practice and progress.

Conclusions and Relevance

Neurocritical care has become an important part of health systems and an established subspecialty of neurology. Understanding its structure, scope of practice, consequences for care, and research are important.

The Effect of Goal-Directed Therapy on Patient Morbidity and Mortality After Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From the Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the impact of goal-directed therapy on outcome after traumatic brain injury, our team applied goal-directed therapy to standardize care in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, who were enrolled in a large multicenter clinical trial.

DESIGN

Planned secondary analysis of data from Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III, a large, prospective, multicenter clinical trial.

SETTING

Forty-two trauma centers within the Neurologic Emergencies Treatment Trials network.

PATIENTS

Eight-hundred eighty-two patients were enrolled within 4 hours of injury after nonpenetrating traumatic brain injury characterized by Glasgow Coma Scale score of 4-12.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Physiologic goals were defined a priori in order to standardize care across 42 sites participating in Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III. Physiologic data collection occurred hourly; laboratory data were collected according to local ICU protocols and at a minimum of once per day. Physiologic transgressions were predefined as substantial deviations from the normal range of goal-directed therapy. Each hour where goal-directed therapy was not achieved was classified as a "transgression." Data were adjudicated electronically and via expert review. Six-month outcomes included mortality and the stratified dichotomy of the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended. For each variable, the association between outcome and either: 1) the occurrence of a transgression or 2) the proportion of time spent in transgression was estimated via logistic regression model.

RESULTS

For the 882 patients enrolled in Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III, mortality was 12.5%. Prolonged time spent in transgression was associated with increased mortality in the full cohort for hemoglobin less than 8 gm/dL (p = 0.0006), international normalized ratio greater than 1.4 (p < 0.0001), glucose greater than 180 mg/dL (p = 0.0003), and systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg (p < 0.0001). In the patient subgroup with intracranial pressure monitoring, prolonged time spent in transgression was associated with increased mortality for intracranial pressure greater than or equal to 20 mm Hg (p < 0.0001), glucose greater than 180 mg/dL (p = 0.0293), hemoglobin less than 8 gm/dL (p = 0.0220), or systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg (p = 0.0114). Covariates inversely related to mortality included: a single occurrence of mean arterial pressure less than 65 mm Hg (p = 0.0051) or systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mm Hg (p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

The Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III clinical trial rigorously monitored compliance with goal-directed therapy after traumatic brain injury. Multiple significant associations between physiologic transgressions, morbidity, and mortality were observed. These data suggest that effective goal-directed therapy in traumatic brain injury may provide an opportunity to improve patient outcomes.

EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CRANIOENCEPHALIC TRAUMA AND MONITORING OF INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE

Objective:

To determine the events associated with the occurrence of intracranial hypertension (ICH) in pediatric patients with severe cranioencephalic trauma.

Methods:

This was a prospective cohort study of patients 18 years old and younger with cranioencephalic trauma, scores below nine on the Glasgow Coma Scale, and intracranial pressure monitoring. They were admitted between September, 2005 and March, 2014 into a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. ICH was defined as an episode of intracranial pressure above 20 mmHg for more than five minutes that needed treatment.

Results:

A total of 198 children and adolescents were included in the study, of which 70.2% were males and there was a median age of nine years old. ICH occurred in 135 (68.2%) patients and maximum intracranial pressure was 36.3 mmHg, with a median of 34 mmHg. A total of 133 (97.8%) patients with ICH received sedation and analgesia for treatment of the condition, 108 (79.4%) received neuromuscular blockers, 7 (5.2%) had cerebrospinal fluid drainage, 105 (77.2%) received mannitol, 96 (70.6%) received hyperventilation, 64 (47.1%) received 3% saline solution, 20 (14.7%) received barbiturates, and 43 (31.9%) underwent a decompressive craniectomy. The events associated with the occurrence of ICH were tomographic findings at the time of admission of diffuse or hemispheric swelling (edema plus engorgement). The odds ratio for ICH in patients with Marshall III (diffuse swelling) tomography was 14 (95%CI 2.8–113; p<0.003), and for those with Marshall IV (hemispherical swelling) was 24.9 (95%CI 2.4–676, p<0.018). Mortality was 22.2%.

Conclusions:

Pediatric patients with severe cranioencephalic trauma and tomographic alterations of Marshall III and IV presented a high chance of developing ICH.

Recommendations of the Colombian Consensus Committee for the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Prehospital, Emergency Department, Surgery, and Intensive Care (Beyond One Option for Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Stratified Protocol [BOOTStraP])

Background  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global public health problem. In Colombia, it is estimated that 70% of deaths from violence and 90% of deaths from road traffic accidents are TBI related. In the year 2014, the Ministry of Health of Colombia funded the development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with severe TBI. A critical barrier to the widespread implementation was identified-that is, the lack of a specific protocol that spans various levels of resources and complexity across the four treatment phases. The objective of this article is to present the process and recommendations for the management of patients with TBI in various resource environments, across the treatment phases of prehospital care, emergency department (ED), surgery, and intensive care unit. Methods  Using the Delphi methodology, a consensus of 20 experts in emergency medicine, neurosurgery, prehospital care, and intensive care nationwide developed recommendations based on 13 questions for the management of patients with TBI in Colombia. Discussion  It is estimated that 80% of the global population live in developing economies where access to resources required for optimum treatment is limited. There is limitation for applications of CPGs recommendations in areas where there is low availability or absence of resources for integral care. Development of mixed methods consensus, including evidence review and expertise points of good clinical practices can fill gaps in application of CPGs. BOOTStraP (Beyond One Option for Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Stratified Protocol) is intended to be a practical handbook for care providers to use to treat TBI patients with whatever resources are available. Results  Stratification of recommendations for interventions according to the availability of the resources on different stages of integral care is a proposed method for filling gaps in actual evidence, to organize a better strategy for interventions in different real-life scenarios. We develop 10 algorithms of management for building TBI protocols based on expert consensus to articulate treatment options in prehospital care, EDs, neurological surgery, and intensive care, independent of the level of availability of resources for care.

Nursing Interventions for Patients with Intracranial Hypertension: Integrative Literature Review

Objective: the study sought to identify, in national and international publications, the principal Nursing interventions aimed at patients with intracranial hypertension. Materials and Method: integrative literature review with search in LILACS, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cinahal, and Google Scholar databases, from 2013 to 2018. Results: the sample was comprised of seven articles fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Two thematic categories were established for the Nursing interventions aimed at patients with intracranial hypertension: cognitive skills and clinical reasoning, necessary to control neuro-physiological parameters and prevent intracranial hypertension, and evidence-based practices to improve care for neuro-critical patients. Conclusions: intracranial hypertension is an event of great clinical impact, whose complications can be minimized and control through specific Nursing interventions that encompass control of neuro-physiological and hemodynamic parameters and prevention of increased intracranial pressure related with the performance of procedures by the Nursing staff.

First Intracranial Pressure Monitoring or First Operation: Which One Is Better?

BACKGROUND

For patients with TBI, traditional methods such as clinical examination and imaging data are the primary references used for deciding whether to operate or not. Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring based on lateral ventricles or parenchymal pressure is a more direct reflection of ICP. However, the research on whether the outcome results of ICP monitoring are better than results based on clinical signs and imaging is sparse. Therefore, we compared treatment results for patients with TBI based on ICP monitoring and traditional methods.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with TBI admitted to our collaborative hospitals between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2013. All patients enrolled were divided into a traditional methods group and ICP monitoring group. Follow-up treatment was determined by ICP monitoring value or traditional methods in the 2 groups. Propensity matching scores were used to ensure that baseline characteristics of patients in the 2 groups were consistent.

RESULTS

A significant association was found between the initial ICP value and neurologic deterioration (odds ratio 1.24; P < 0.001), and nonlinear correlation achieved the best fit (R² = 0.547). Both 6-month good recovery rate and favorable outcome rate were higher in the ICP monitoring group than the traditional methods group by propensity score analysis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with TBI with cerebral contusion volume >20 mL, both 6-month good recovery rate and favorable outcome rate were significantly higher in the ICP monitoring group than the traditional methods group.

A clinical decision rule to predict intracranial hypertension in severe traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE

While existing guidelines support the treatment of intracranial hypertension in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), it is unclear when to suspect and initiate treatment for high intracranial pressure (ICP). The objective of this study was to derive a clinical decision rule that accurately predicts intracranial hypertension.

METHODS

Using Delphi methods, the authors identified a set of potential predictors of intracranial hypertension and a clinical decision rule a priori by consensus among a group of 43 neurosurgeons and intensivists who have extensive experience managing severe TBI without ICP monitoring. To validate these predictors, the authors used data from a Latin American trial (n = 150; BEST TRIP). To report on the performance of the rule, they calculated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values with 95% confidence intervals. In a secondary analysis, the rule was validated using data from a North American trial (n = 131; COBRIT).

RESULTS

The final predictors and the clinical decision rule were approved by 97% of participants in the consensus working group. The predictors are divided into major and minor criteria. High ICP would be considered suspected in the presence of 1 major or ≥ 2 minor criteria. Major criteria are: compressed cisterns (CT classification of Marshall diffuse injury [DI] III), midline shift > 5 mm (Marshall DI IV), or nonevacuated mass lesion. Minor criteria are: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) motor score ≤ 4, pupillary asymmetry, abnormal pupillary reactivity, or Marshall DI II. The area under the curve for the logistic regression model that contains all the predictors was 0.86. When high ICP was defined as > 22 mm Hg, the decision rule performed with a sensitivity of 93.9% (95% CI 85.0%-98.3%), a specificity of 42.3% (95% CI 31.7%-53.6%), a positive predictive value of 55.5% (95% CI 50.7%-60.2%), and a negative predictive value of 90% (95% CI 77.1%-96.0%). The sensitivity of the clinical decision rule improved with higher ICP cutoffs up to a sensitivity of 100% when intracranial hypertension was defined as ICP > 30 mm Hg. Similar results were found in the North American cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

A simple clinical decision rule based on a combination of clinical and imaging findings was found to be highly sensitive in distinguishing patients with severe TBI who would suffer intracranial hypertension. It could be used to identify patients who require ICP monitoring in high-resource settings or start ICP-lowering treatment in environments where resource limitations preclude invasive monitoring.Clinical trial registration no.: NCT02059941 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Multimodality Monitoring in the Neurocritical Care Unit

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article focuses on the multiple neuromonitoring devices that can be used to collect bedside data in the neurocritical care unit and the methodology to integrate them into a multimodality monitoring system. The article describes how to apply the collected data to appreciate the physiologic changes and develop therapeutic approaches to prevent secondary injury.

RECENT FINDINGS

The neurologic examination has served as the primary monitor for secondary brain injury in patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit. However, the International Multidisciplinary Consensus Conference on Multimodality Monitoring in Neurocritical Care concluded that frequent bedside examinations are not sufficient to detect and prevent secondary brain injury and that integration of multimodality monitoring with advanced informatics tools will most likely enhance our assessments compared to the clinical examinations alone. This article reviews the invasive and noninvasive technologies used to monitor focal and global neurophysiologic cerebral alterations.

SUMMARY

Multimodal monitoring is still in the early stages of development. Research is still needed to establish more advanced monitors with the bioinformatics to identify useful trends from data gathered to predict clinical outcome or prevent secondary brain injury.

Children With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Intracranial Pressure, Cerebral Perfusion Pressure, What Does it Mean? A Review of the Literature

Severe traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. In 2003 the Brain Trauma Foundation released guidelines that have since been updated (2010) and have helped standardize and improve care. One area of care that remains controversial is whether the placement of an intracranial pressure monitor is advantageous in the management of traumatic brain injury. Another aspect of care that is widely debated is whether management after traumatic brain injury should be based on intracranial pressure-directed therapy, cerebral perfusion pressure-directed therapy, or a combination of the two. The aim of this article was to provide an overview and review the current evidence regarding these questions.

International prospective observational study on intracranial pressure in intensive care (ICU): the SYNAPSE-ICU study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is commonly used in neurocritical care patients with acute brain injury (ABI). Practice about indications and use of ICP monitoring in patients with ABI remains, however, highly variable in high-income countries, while data on ICP monitoring in low and middle-income countries are scarce or inconsistent. The aim of the SYNAPSE-ICU study is to describe current practices of ICP monitoring using a worldwide sample and to quantify practice variations in ICP monitoring and management in neurocritical care ABI patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The SYNAPSE-ICU study is a large international, prospective, observational cohort study. From March 2018 to March 2019, all patients fulfilling the following inclusion criteria will be recruited: age >18 years; diagnosis of ABI due to primary haemorrhagic stroke (subarachnoid haemorrhage or intracranial haemorrhage) or traumatic brain injury; Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) with no eye opening (Eyes response=1) and Motor score ≤5 (not following commands) at ICU admission, or neuro-worsening within the first 48 hours with no eye opening and a Motor score decreased to ≤5. Data related to clinical examination (GCS, pupil size and reactivity, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale score, neuroimaging) and to ICP interventions (Therapy Intensity Levels) will be recorded on admission, and at day 1, 3 and 7. The Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) will be collected at discharge from ICU and from hospital and at 6-month follow-up. The impact of ICP monitoring and ICP-driven therapy on GOSE will be analysed at both patient and ICU level.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee 'Brianza' at the Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST)-Monza (approval date: 21 November 2017). Each National Coordinator will notify the relevant ethics committee, in compliance with the local legislation and rules. Data will be made available to the scientific community by means of abstracts submitted to the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine annual conference and by scientific reports and original articles submitted to peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03257904.

Adjusting for confounding by indication in observational studies: a case study in traumatic brain injury

INTRODUCTION

Observational studies of interventions are at risk for confounding by indication. The objective of the current study was to define the circumstances for the validity of methods to adjust for confounding by indication in observational studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed post hoc analyses of data prospectively collected from three European and North American traumatic brain injury studies including 1,725 patients. The effects of three interventions (intracranial pressure [ICP] monitoring, intracranial operation and primary referral) were estimated in a proportional odds regression model with the Glasgow Outcome Scale as ordinal outcome variable. Three analytical methods were compared: classical covariate adjustment, propensity score matching and instrumental variable (IV) analysis in which the percentage exposed to an intervention in each hospital was added as an independent variable, together with a random intercept for each hospital. In addition, a simulation study was performed in which the effect of a hypothetical beneficial intervention (OR 1.65) was simulated for scenarios with and without unmeasured confounders.

RESULTS

For all three interventions, covariate adjustment and propensity score matching resulted in negative estimates of the treatment effect (OR ranging from 0.80 to 0.92), whereas the IV approach indicated that both ICP monitoring and intracranial operation might be beneficial (OR per 10% change 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.42 and 1.42, 95% CI 0.95-1.97). In our simulation study, we found that covariate adjustment and propensity score matching resulted in an invalid estimate of the treatment effect in case of unmeasured confounders (OR ranging from 0.90 to 1.03). The IV approach provided an estimate in the similar direction as the simulated effect (OR per 10% change 1.04-1.05) but was statistically inefficient.

CONCLUSION

The effect estimation of interventions in observational studies strongly depends on the analytical method used. When unobserved confounding and practice variation are expected in observational multicenter studies, IV analysis should be considered.

Traumatic Brain Injury in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Head trauma is a leading cause of brain injury in children, and it can have profound lifelong physical, cognitive, and behavioral consequences. Optimal acute care of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires rapid stabilization and early neurosurgical evaluation by a multidisciplinary team. Meticulous attention is required to limit secondary brain injury after the initial trauma. This review discusses pathophysiology, acute stabilization, and monitoring, as well as supportive and therapeutic measures to help minimize ongoing brain injury and optimize recovery in children with TBI. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(7):e274-e279.].

Intracranial pressure management in patients with traumatic brain injury: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and treatment is central in the management of traumatic brain injury. Despite 4 decades of clinical use, several aspects remain controversial, including the indications for ICP and treatment options.

RECENT FINDINGS

Two major trials tested surgical decompression and mild hypothermia as treatments for high ICP. Both were rigorous, randomized, multicenter studies, with different designs. Decompression was tested for ICP refractory to conventional treatment, whereas hypothermia was offered as an alternative to conventional medical therapy. Decompression reduced mortality, but at the expense of more disability. The hypothermia trial was stopped because of a worse outcome in the treated arm. Indications for ICP monitoring have been reviewed and new international guidelines issued. New contributions published in 2016 have dealt with computerized analysis for predicting ICP crises; noninvasive or innovative methods for measuring ICP; reassessment of standard therapeutic interventions, such as hypertonic solutions and the level of intensity of ICP therapy.

SUMMARY

Aggressive strategies for ICP control, like surgical decompression or hypothermia, carefully tested, have controversial effects on outcome. Several articles have made worthwhile contributions to important clinical issues, but with no real breakthroughs.