Temporal Trends in Functional Outcomes after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: 2006-2015

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative: Systematic Review of Clinical Factors Associated with Outcomes in People with Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

The aim of the Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) is to design a data dictionary to inform data collection and facilitate prediction of outcomes for moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across Australia. The process has engaged diverse stakeholders across six areas: social, health, clinical, biological, acute interventions, and long-term outcomes. Here, we report the results of the clinical review. Standardized searches were implemented across databases to April 2022. English-language reports of studies evaluating an association between a clinical factor and any clinical outcome in at least 100 patients with moderate-severe TBI were included. Abstracts, and full-text records, were independently screened by at least two reviewers in Covidence. The findings were assessed through a consensus process to determine inclusion in the AUS-TBI data resource. The searches retrieved 22,441 records, of which 1137 were screened at full text and 313 papers were included. The clinical outcomes identified were predominantly measures of survival and disability. The clinical predictors most frequently associated with these outcomes were the Glasgow Coma Scale, pupil reactivity, and blood pressure measures. Following discussion with an expert consensus group, 15 were recommended for inclusion in the data dictionary. This review identified numerous studies evaluating associations between clinical factors and outcomes in patients with moderate-severe TBI. A small number of factors were reported consistently, however, how and when these factors were assessed varied. The findings of this review and the subsequent consensus process have informed the development of an evidence-informed data dictionary for moderate-severe TBI in Australia.

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative: Statement of Working Principles and Rapid Review of Methods to Define Data Dictionaries for Neurological Conditions

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) aims to develop a health informatics approach to collect data predictive of outcomes for persons with moderate-severe TBI across Australia. Central to this approach is a data dictionary; however, no systematic reviews of methods to define and develop data dictionaries exist to-date. This rapid systematic review aimed to identify and characterize methods for designing data dictionaries to collect outcomes or variables in persons with neurological conditions. Database searches were conducted from inception through October 2021. Records were screened in two stages against set criteria to identify methods to define data dictionaries for neurological conditions (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision: 08, 22, and 23). Standardized data were extracted. Processes were checked at each stage by independent review of a random 25% of records. Consensus was reached through discussion where necessary. Thirty-nine initiatives were identified across 29 neurological conditions. No single established or recommended method for defining a data dictionary was identified. Nine initiatives conducted systematic reviews to collate information before implementing a consensus process. Thirty-seven initiatives consulted with end-users. Methods of consultation were "roundtable" discussion (n = 30); with facilitation (n = 16); that was iterative (n = 27); and frequently conducted in-person (n = 27). Researcher stakeholders were involved in all initiatives and clinicians in 25. Importantly, only six initiatives involved persons with lived experience of TBI and four involved carers. Methods for defining data dictionaries were variable and reporting is sparse. Our findings are instructive for AUS-TBI and can be used to further development of methods for defining data dictionaries.

A Prospective Cohort Study Characterizing Incidence of Dural Venous Sinus Thrombosis in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients with Skull Fractures

BACKGROUND

Limited retrospective data suggest that dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with skull fractures is common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Prospective data accurately characterizing the incidence of DVST in patients with high-risk TBI are sparse but are needed to develop evidence-based TBI management guidelines.

METHODS

After obtaining institutional approval, 36 adult patients with TBI with skull fractures admitted to an Australian level III adult intensive care unit between April 2022 and January 2023 were prospectively recruited and underwent computed tomography venography or magnetic resonance venography within 72 hours of injury. When available, daily maximum intracranial pressure was recorded.

RESULTS

Dural venous sinus abnormality was common (36.1%, 95% confidence interval 22.5%-52.4%) and strongly associated with DVST (P = 0.003). The incidence of DVST was 13.9% (95% confidence interval 6.1%-28.7%), which was lower than incidence reported in previous retrospective studies. Of DVSTs confirmed by computed tomography venography, 80% occurred in patients with extensive skull fractures including temporal or parietal bone fractures in conjunction with occipital bone fractures (P = 0.006). However, dural venous sinus abnormality and DVST were not associated with an increase in maximum daily intracranial pressure within the first 7 days after injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Dural venous sinus abnormality was common in TBI patients with skull fractures requiring intensive care unit admission. DVST was confirmed in more than one third of these patients, especially patients with concomitant temporal or parietal and occipital bone fractures. Computed tomography venography is recommended for this subgroup of TBI patients.

Deadliness of Traumatic Subdural Hematomas in the First Quarter of the Year: A Measurement by the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP)

Background Traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) is a surgical emergency and has been associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, it is not known whether mortality from ASDH occurs more frequently in a particular season. Methodology We queried the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) from 2016 to 2019. They were identified in the NSQIP using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) code S06.5 to capture all admissions with a primary diagnosis of traumatic subdural hematoma. Mortality rates were reviewed per season, defined as three consecutive months in the year. Demographics such as age, race, ethnicity, height, and weight were reviewed. Comorbidities such as diabetes, risk factors, including smoking history, and hospitalization characteristics, such as admission year, operation year, and inpatient/outpatient treatment type, were also reviewed. Results A total of 1,656 patients were included in this study. The mean age of all participants was 70.6 years, with 37% (604/1,656) being female. The mortality rate was highest in January, February, and March at 24.5% (104/425, P = 0.045) of admitted patients compared to mortality rates of 18.8% (70/373) in April to June, 18.4% (81/441) in July to September, and 17.5% (73/417) in October to December. Conclusions Mortality is significantly greater during the winter months of January, February, and March among patients with ASDH. Despite better survival rates of ASDH over the past two decades, postoperative mortality rates still remain high.

AUS-TBI: The Australian Health Informatics Approach to Predict Outcomes and Monitor Intervention Efficacy after Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Predicting and optimizing outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a major challenge because of the breadth of injury characteristics and complexity of brain responses. AUS-TBI is a new Australian Government–funded initiative that aims to improve personalized care and treatment for children and adults who have sustained a TBI. The AUS-TBI team aims to address a number of key knowledge gaps, by designing an approach to bring together data describing psychosocial modulators, social determinants, clinical parameters, imaging data, biomarker profiles, and rehabilitation outcomes in order to assess the influence that they have on long-term outcome. Data management systems will be designed to track a broad range of suitable potential indicators and outcomes, which will be organized to facilitate secure data collection, linkage, storage, curation, management, and analysis. It is believed that these objectives are achievable because of our consortium of highly committed national and international leaders, expert committees, and partner organizations in TBI and health informatics. It is anticipated that the resulting large-scale data resource will facilitate personalization, prediction, and improvement of outcomes post-TBI.

Use of Hyperoncotic Human Albumin Solution in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Revisited-A Narrative Review and Meta-Analysis

A significant proportion of patients with a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have hypoalbuminemia and require fluid resuscitation. Intravenous fluids can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences because of the risk of hyperhydration and hypo- or hyperosmolar conditions, which may affect the outcome of a TBI. Fluid resuscitation with human albumin solution (HAS) corrects low serum albumin levels and aids in preserving euvolemia in non-brain-injured intensive care units and in perioperative patients. However, the use of HAS for TBI remains controversial. In patients with TBI, the infusion of hypooncotic (4%) HAS was associated with adverse outcomes. The side effects of 4% HAS and the safety and efficacy of hyperoncotic (20-25%) HAS used in the Lund concept of TBI treatment need further investigation. A nonsystematic review, including a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials, was performed to evaluate hyperoncotic HAS in TBI treatment. For the meta-analysis, the MEDLINE and EMBASE Library databases, as well as journal contents and reference lists, were searched for pertinent articles up to March 2021. Four controlled clinical studies involving 320 patients were included. The first was a randomized trial. Among 165 patients treated with hyperoncotic HAS, according to the Lund concept, 24 (14.5%) died vs. 59 out of 155 control patients (38.1%). A Lund concept intervention using hyperoncotic HAS was associated with a significantly reduced mortality (p = 0.002). Evidence of the beneficial effects of fluid management with hyperoncotic HAS on mortality in patients with TBI is at a high risk of bias. Prospective randomized controlled trials are required, which could lead to changes in clinical practice recommendations for fluid management in patients with TBI.

Decompressive craniectomy practice following traumatic brain injury, in comparison with randomized trials

High quality evidence shows decompressive craniectomy (DC) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) may improve survival but increase the number of severely disabled survivors. Contemporary international practice is unknown. We sought to describe international use of DC, and the alignment with evidence and clinical practice guidelines, by analyzing the harmonized CENTER-TBI and OzENTER-TBI Core study datasets. These include patients admitted to ICUs in Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia between 2015 and 2017. Outcomes of interest were treatment with DC relative to clinical trial evidence and the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines. Of 2336 people admitted to ICUs following TBI, DC was performed in 320 (13.7%): in 64/1422 (4.5%) patients with diffuse TBI, and 195/640 (30.5%) patients with traumatic mass lesions. Secondary DC (for treatment of intracranial hypertension) was used infrequently in patients who met enrolment criteria of the two randomised clinical trials informing the guidelines: in 11/124 (8.9%) of those matching DECRA enrolment, and in 30/224 (13.4%) of those matching RESCUEicp. Of patients who underwent DC 258/320 (80.6%) were ineligible for either trial: 149/320 (46.6%) underwent primary DC, 62/320 (19.4%) were outside the trials' age criteria, and 126/320 (39.4%) did not develop intracranial hypertension refractory to non-operative therapies prior to DC. Secondary DC was used infrequently in patients in whom it had been shown to be potentially harmful, indicating alignment between contemporaneous evidence and practice. However, most patients who underwent DC were ineligible for the key trials; whether they benefitted from DC remains unknown.

Quantitative Proteomics Reveals the Dynamic Pathophysiology Across Different Stages in a Rat Model of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Background

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a global health problem and causes a vast worldwide societal burden. However, distinct mechanisms between acute and subacute stages have not been systemically revealed. The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins in severe TBI from the acute to subacute phase.

Methods

Sixty Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham surgery and model groups. The severe TBI models were induced by the controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. We evaluated the neurological deficits through the modified neurological severity score (NSS). Meanwhile, H&E staining and immunofluorescence were performed to assess the injured brain tissues. The protein expressions of the hippocampus on the wounded side of CCI groups and the same side of Sham groups were analyzed by the tandem mass tag-based (TMT) quantitative proteomics on the third and fourteenth days. Then, using the gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), and protein–protein interaction (PPI), the shared and stage-specific differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were screened, analyzed, and visualized. Eventually, target proteins were further verified by Western blotting (WB).

Results

In the severe TBI, the neurological deficits always exist from the acute stage to the subacute stage, and brain parenchyma was dramatically impaired in either period. Of the significant DEPs identified, 312 were unique to the acute phase, 76 were specific to the subacute phase, and 63 were shared in both. Of the 375 DEPs between Sham-a and CCI-a, 240 and 135 proteins were up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively. Of 139 DEPs, 84 proteins were upregulated, and 55 were downregulated in the Sham-s and CCI-s. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the differential pathophysiology across both stages. One of the most critical shared pathways is the complement and coagulation cascades. Notably, three pathways associated with gastric acid secretion, insulin secretion, and thyroid hormone synthesis were only enriched in the acute phase. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was significantly enriched in the subacute stage. WB experiments confirmed the reliability of the TMT quantitative proteomics results.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the same and different pathological processes in the acute and subacute phases of severe TBI at the proteomic level. The results of potential protein biomarkers might facilitate the design of novel strategies to treat TBI.

Trends in mortality after intensive care of patients with traumatic brain injury in Finland from 2003 to 2019: a Finnish Intensive Care Consortium study

Background

Several studies have suggested no change in the outcome of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) treated in intensive care units (ICUs). This is mainly due to the shift in TBI epidemiology toward older and sicker patients. In Finland, the share of the population aged 65 years and over has increased the most in Europe during the last decade. We aimed to assess changes in 12-month and hospital mortality of patients with TBI treated in the ICU in Finland.

Methods

We used a national benchmarking ICU database (Finnish Intensive Care Consortium) to study adult patients who had been treated for TBI in four tertiary ICUs in Finland during 2003–2019. We divided admission years into quartiles and used multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusted for case-mix, to assess the association between admission year and mortality.

Results

A total of 4535 patients were included. Between 2003–2007 and 2016–2019, the patient median age increased from 54 to 62 years, the share of patients having significant comorbidity increased from 8 to 11%, and patients being dependent on help in activities of daily living increased from 7 to 15%. Unadjusted hospital and 12-month mortality decreased from 18 and 31% to 10% and 23%, respectively. After adjusting for case-mix, a reduction in odds of 12-month and hospital mortality was seen in patients with severe TBI, intracranial pressure monitored patients, and mechanically ventilated patients. Despite a reduction in hospital mortality, 12-month mortality remained unchanged in patients aged ≥ 70 years.

Conclusion

A change in the demographics of ICU-treated patients with TBI care is evident. The outcome of younger patients with severe TBI appears to improve, whereas long-term mortality of elderly patients with less severe TBI has not improved. This has ramifications for further efforts to improve TBI care, especially among the elderly.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00701-021-05034-4.

Acute subdural haematoma in the elderly: to operate or not to operate? A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes following surgery

OBJECTIVES

Acute subdural haematoma (ASDH) is a devastating pathology commonly found on CT brain scans of patients with traumatic brain injury. The role of surgical intervention in the elderly has been increasingly questioned due to its associated morbidity and mortality. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to quantify the mortality and functional outcomes associated with surgical management of ASDH in the elderly was performed.

DESIGN/SETTING

A multidatabase literature search between January 1990 and May 2020, and meta-analysis of proportions was performed to quantify mortality and unfavourable outcome (Glasgow Outcome scale 1-3; death/ severe disability) rates.

PARTICIPANTS

Studies reporting patients aged 60 years or older.

INTERVENTIONS

Craniotomy, decompressive craniectomy, conservative management.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Mortality and functional outcomes (discharge, long-term follow-up (LTFU)).

RESULTS

2572 articles were screened, yielding 21 studies for final inclusion and 15 for meta-analysis. Pooled estimates of mortality were 39.83% (95% CI 32.73% to 47.14%; 10 studies, 308/739 patients, I²=73%) at discharge and 49.30% (95% CI 42.01% to 56.61%; 10 studies, 277/555 patients, I²=63%) at LTFU. Mean duration of follow-up was 7.1 months (range 2-12 months). Pooled estimate of percentage of poor outcomes was 81.18% (95% CI 75.61% to 86.21%; 6 studies, 363/451 patients, I²=45%) at discharge, and 79.25% (95% CI 72.42% to 85.37%; 8 studies, 402/511 patients, I²=66%) at LTFU. Mean duration of follow-up was 6.4 months (range 2-12 months). Potential risk factors for poor outcome included age, baseline functional status, preoperative neurological status and imaging parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Outcomes following surgical evacuation of ASDH in patients aged 60 years and above are poor. This constitutes the best level of evidence in the current literature that surgical intervention for ASDH in the elderly carries significant risks, which must be weighed against benefits.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020189508.

Reliability, Validity, Clinical Utility, and Responsiveness of Measures for Assessing Mobility and Physical Function in Patients With Traumatic Injury in the Acute Care Hospital Setting: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

The longer-term impact of injury is increasingly recognized, but the early phases of recovery are less well understood. The best tools to measure early recovery of mobility and physical function following traumatic injury are unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical utility, validity, reliability, and responsiveness of 4 mobility and physical function measures in patients following traumatic injury.

METHODS

In this cohort, measurement-focused study (n = 100), the modified Iowa Level of Assistance Score, Acute Care Index of Function, Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6 Clicks" short forms, and Functional Independence Measure were completed during first and last physical therapy sessions. Clinical utility and floor and ceiling effects were documented. Known-groups validity (early vs late in admission and by discharge destination), predictive validity (using 6-month postinjury outcomes data), and responsiveness were established. Interrater reliability was assessed in 30 patients with stable mobility and function.

RESULTS

Participants had a median age of 52 years (interquartile range = 33-68 years), and 68% were male. The modified Iowa Level of Assistance Score, Acute Care Index of Function, and "6 Clicks" short forms were quick to administer (an extra median time of 30 seconds-1 minute), but the Functional Independence Measure took much longer (extra median time of 5 minutes). At the last physical therapy session, ceiling effects were present for all measures except the Functional Independence Measure (18%-33% of participants). All had strong known-groups validity (early vs late in admission and by discharge destination). All were responsive (effect sizes >1.0) and had excellent interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.79-0.94).

CONCLUSION

All 4 measures were reliable, valid, and responsive; however, their clinical utility varied, and ceiling effects were common at physical therapy discharge.

IMPACT

This study is an important step toward evidence-based measurement in acute trauma physical therapy care. It provides critical information to guide assessment of mobility and physical function in acute trauma physical therapy, which may facilitate benchmarking across different hospitals and trauma centers and further progress the science and practice of physical therapy following traumatic injury.

Post-traumatic seizures following pediatric traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the national impact of demographic, hospital, and inpatient risk factors on post-traumatic seizure (PTS) development in pediatric patients who presented to the ED following a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database years 2010-2014 was queried. Patients (<21 years old) with a primary diagnosis of TBI and subsequent secondary diagnosis of PTS were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification coding system. We identified demographic variables, hospital characteristics, pre-existing medical comorbidities, etiology of injuries, and type of injury. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with post-traumatic seizures.

RESULTS

We identified 1,244,087 patients who sustained TBI, of which 10,340 (0.83%) developed PTS. Of the patients who had seizures, the youngest cohort aged 0-5 years had the greatest proportion of seizure development (p < 0.001). Compared to those TBI patients with loss of consciousness (LOC), patients encountering no LOC after TBI had the smallest proportion of seizures while Prolonged LOC with baseline return had the greatest proportion. On univariate analysis of the effect of in-hospital complication on rate of seizures, respiratory, renal and urinary, hematoma, septicemia, and other neurological complications were all significantly associated with seizure development. On multivariate regression, age 6-10 years (OR: 0.48, p < 0.001) 11-15 years (OR: 0.41, p < 0.001), and 16-20 years (OR: 0.51, p < 0.001) were independently associated with decreased risk of developing seizures. Extended LOC with baseline return (OR: 6.33, p < 0.001), extended LOC without baseline return (OR: 1.95, p = 0.009), and Other LOC (OR: 3.02, p < 0.001) were independently associated with increased risk of developing seizures. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR: 4.14, p < 0.001), subdural hemorrhage [OR: 7.72, p < 0.001), and extradural hemorrhage (OR: 3.13, p < 0.001) were all independently associated with increased risk of developing seizures.

CONCLUSION

Out study demonstrates that various demographic, hospital, and clinical risk factors are associated with the development of seizures following traumatic brain injury. Enhancing awareness of these drivers may help provide greater awareness of patients likely to develop post-traumatic seizures such that this complication can be decreased in incidence so as to improve quality of care and decrease healthcare costs.

Management of Australian Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Are Potentially Harmful Treatments Still Used?

Clinical trials have shown that intravenous albumin and decompressive craniectomy to treat early refractory intracranial hypertension can cause harm in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The extent to which these treatments remain in use is unknown. We conducted a multi-center retrospective cohort study of adult patients with severe TBI admitted to five neurotrauma centers across Australia between April 2013 and March 2015. Patients were identified from local trauma and intensive care unit (ICU) registries and followed until hospital discharge. Main outcome measures were the administration of intravenous albumin, and decompressive craniectomy for intracranial hypertension. Analyses were predominantly descriptive. There were 303 patients with severe TBI, of whom a minority received albumin (6.9%) or underwent early decompressive craniectomy for treatment of refractory intracranial hypertension complicating diffuse TBI (2.3%). The median (intequartile range [IQR]) age was 35 (24, 58), and most injuries were caused by road traffic accidents (57.4%) or falls (25.1%). Overall, 34.3% of patients died while in the hospital and the remainder were discharged to rehabilitation (44.6%), other health care facilities (4.6%), or home (16.5%). There were no patient characteristics significantly associated with use of albumin or craniectomy. Intravenous albumin and craniectomy for treatment of intracranial hypertension were used infrequently in Australian neurotrauma centers, indicating alignment between best available evidence and practice.

Long-Term Analysis of Functional Outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

INTRODUCTION

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to examine outcomes after discharge and identify factors from the index admission that may contribute to long-term mortality.

METHODS

The study population is composed of patients who survived to discharge from a previously published study examining TBI. Demographics, injury severity, and length of stay were abstracted from the index study. Phone surveys of surviving patients were performed to evaluate each patient's Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE). Patients who were deceased at the time of the survey were compared with those who were alive.

RESULTS

1615 patients were alive at the end of the first study period and 211 (13%) comprised the study population. Overall, the median age was 54 years, and the majority were male (74%). The median time to follow-up was 80 months. The population was severely injured, with a median injury severity score (ISS) of 25 and a median head abbreviated injury score (AIS) of 4. Overall mortality was 57%. The group that survived at the time of the survey was younger, more injured, less likely to have received beta-blockers (BB) during the index admission, and had a longer time to follow-up. After adjusting for ISS, age, base deficit, and BB, age was the only variable predictive of mortality (HR 1.03; HL 1.02-1.04).

CONCLUSION

Despite being more severely injured, younger patients were more likely to survive to follow-up. Further investigation is needed to determine if aggressive care in older TBI patients in the acute phase leads to good long-term outcomes.

Functional outcome, in-hospital healthcare consumption and in-hospital costs for hospitalised traumatic brain injury patients: a Dutch prospective multicentre study

BACKGROUND

The high occurrence and acute and chronic sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI) cause major healthcare and socioeconomic challenges. This study aimed to describe outcome, in-hospital healthcare consumption and in-hospital costs of patients with TBI.

METHODS

We used data from hospitalised TBI patients that were included in the prospective observational CENTER-TBI study in three Dutch Level I Trauma Centres from 2015 to 2017. Clinical data was completed with data on in-hospital healthcare consumption and costs. TBI severity was classified using the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS). Patient outcome was measured by in-hospital mortality and Glasgow Outcome Score-Extended (GOSE) at 6 months. In-hospital costs were calculated following the Dutch guidelines for cost calculation.

RESULTS

A total of 486 TBI patients were included. Mean age was 56.1 ± 22.4 years and mean GCS was 12.7 ± 3.8. Six-month mortality (4.2%-66.7%), unfavourable outcome (GOSE ≤ 4) (14.6%-80.4%) and full recovery (GOSE = 8) (32.5%-5.9%) rates varied from patients with mild TBI (GCS13-15) to very severe TBI (GCS3-5). Length of stay (8 ± 13 days) and in-hospital costs (€11,920) were substantial and increased with higher TBI severity, presence of intracranial abnormalities, extracranial injury and surgical intervention. Costs were primarily driven by admission (66%) and surgery (13%).

CONCLUSION

In-hospital mortality and unfavourable outcome rates were rather high, but many patients also achieved full recovery. Hospitalised TBI patients show substantial in-hospital healthcare consumption and costs, even in patients with mild TBI. Because these costs are likely to be an underestimation of the actual total costs, more research is required to investigate the actual costs-effectiveness of TBI care.

Risk Factors for the Development of Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus in Children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the national impact of demographic, hospital, and inpatient risk factors on posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) development in pediatric patients who presented to the emergency department after a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database 2010-2014 was queried. Patients (<21 years old) with a primary diagnosis of TBI and subsequent secondary diagnosis of PTH were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification coding system.

RESULTS

We identified 1,244,087 patients who sustained TBI, of whom 930 (0.07%) developed PTH. The rates of subdural hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage were both significantly higher for the PTH cohort. On multivariate regression, age 6-10 years (odds ratio [OR], 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.93; P = 0.022), 11-15 years (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.21-0.48; P < 0.0001), and 16-20 years (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.15-0.37; P < 0.0001) were independently associated with decreased risk of developing hydrocephalus, compared with ages 0-5 years. Extended loss of consciousness with baseline return and extended loss of consciousness without baseline return were independently associated with increased risk of developing hydrocephalus. Respiratory complication (OR, 28.35; 95% CI, 15.75-51.05; P < 0.0001), hemorrhage (OR, 37.12; 95% CI, 4.79-287.58; P = 0.0001), thromboembolic (OR, 8.57; 95% CI, 1.31-56.19; P = 0.025), and neurologic complication (OR, 64.64; 95% CI, 1.39-3010.2; P = 0.033) were all independently associated with increased risk of developing hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database shows that various demographic, hospital, and clinical risk factors are associated with the development of hydrocephalus after traumatic brain injury.

Machine learning-based dynamic mortality prediction after traumatic brain injury

Our aim was to create simple and largely scalable machine learning-based algorithms that could predict mortality in a real-time fashion during intensive care after traumatic brain injury. We performed an observational multicenter study including adult TBI patients that were monitored for intracranial pressure (ICP) for at least 24 h in three ICUs. We used machine learning-based logistic regression modeling to create two algorithms (based on ICP, mean arterial pressure [MAP], cerebral perfusion pressure [CPP] and Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS]) to predict 30-day mortality. We used a stratified cross-validation technique for internal validation. Of 472 included patients, 92 patients (19%) died within 30 days. Following cross-validation, the ICP-MAP-CPP algorithm's area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) increased from 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60-0.74) on day 1 to 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.87) on day 5. The ICP-MAP-CPP-GCS algorithm's AUC increased from 0.72 (95% CI 0.64-0.78) on day 1 to 0.84 (95% CI 0.78-0.90) on day 5. Algorithm misclassification was seen among patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy. In conclusion, we present a new concept of dynamic prognostication for patients with TBI treated in the ICU. Our simple algorithms, based on only three and four main variables, discriminated between survivors and non-survivors with accuracies up to 81% and 84%. These open-sourced simple algorithms can likely be further developed, also in low and middle-income countries.

Injury, Sleep, and Functional Outcome in Hospital Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

PROBLEM

Uninterrupted nighttime sleep is associated with better cognition and functional outcomes in healthy adults, but the relationship between sleep and functional outcome in individuals hospitalized with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains to be clarified.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to (1) describe nighttime rest-activity variables-wake bouts (counts), total wake time (minutes), and sleep efficiency (SE) (percentage; time asleep/time in bed)-in people on a neuroscience step-down unit (NSDU) post-TBI and (2) describe the association between injury and nighttime rest-activity on post-TBI functional outcome (using Functional Independence Measure [FIM] at discharge from inpatient care).

METHODS

This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive pilot study. We recruited participants from the NSDU (n = 17 [age: mean (SD), 63.4 (17.9)]; 82% male, 94% white) who wore wrist actigraphy (source of nighttime rest-activity variables) for up to 5 nights. For injury variables, we used Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and Injury Severity Score (ISS). We used Spearman ρ and regression to measure associations.

RESULTS

Glasgow Coma Scale mean (SD) score was 8.8 (4.9), ISS mean (SD) score was 23.6 (6.7), and FIM mean (SD) score was 48 (14.5). Averages of nighttime rest-activity variables (8 PM-7 AM) were as follows: SE, 73% (SD, 16); wake bouts, 41 counts (SD, 18); total wake time, 74 minutes (SD, 47). Correlations showed significance between FIM and GCS (P = .005) and between SE and GCS (P = .015). GCS was the only statistically significant variable associated with FIM (P = .013); we eliminated other variables from the model as nonsignificant (P > .10). Sleep efficiency and FIM association was nonsignificant (P = .40). In a separate model (ISS, GCS, and SE [dependent variable]), GCS was significant (P = .04), but ISS was not (P = .25).

CONCLUSION

Patients with severe TBI on the NSDU have poor actigraphic sleep at night. GCS has a stronger association to functional outcome than nighttime rest-activity variables.

Routine incorporation of longer-term patient-reported outcomes into a Dutch trauma registry

Purpose

Routine collection of post-discharge patient-reported outcomes within trauma registries can be used to benchmark quality of trauma care. This process is dependent on geographic and cultural context, but results are lacking regarding the European experience. We aimed to investigate the feasibility of routine inclusion of longer-term patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a Dutch National Trauma Database (DNTD) and to characterize these outcomes in a prospective cohort study.

Methods

All adult patients (≥ 18 years) who presented for traumatic injury in 2015–2016 and met the inclusion criteria of the DNTD were included. Inclusion criteria of the DNTD are presence of traumatic injury, hospital presentation within 48 h from trauma and hospital admission for treatment of traumatic injury or immediate mortality from traumatic injury after presentation. Exclusion criteria were death, mental impairment, insufficient command of Dutch language and residency outside the Netherlands. Primary outcomes were process-related measures of feasibility (response rate, response methods and reasons for non-response). Secondary outcomes were HRQoL measures [EuroQOL 5-Dimensions 3-Level (EQ-5D-3L) with added cognitive dimension and Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS)].

Results

2025 unique patients met the initial inclusion criteria, with 1753 patients eligible for follow-up. Of these, 1315 patients participated (response rate 75%). The majority of questionnaires, 990 (75%), were completed on paper, with an additional 325 (25%) through telephone interviews. Primary reason for non-response was lack of contact information (245/438 non-responders; 56%). Median EQ-5D score was 0.81 (IQR 0.68–1.00) (mean 0.74; SD 0.31) and median EQ-VAS score was 78 (IQR 65–90). Compared to a Dutch reference population (mean EQ-5D = 0.87), EQ-5D scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Routine collection of HRQoL is feasible within European health systems, like in the Netherlands. Further integration of these measures into trauma registries may aid worldwide benchmarking of trauma care quality.

In-hospital costs after severe traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and quality assessment

Background

The in-hospital treatment of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered to be expensive, especially in patients with severe TBI (s-TBI). To improve future treatment decision-making, resource allocation and research initiatives, this study reviewed the in-hospital costs for patients with s-TBI and the quality of study methodology.

Methods

A systematic search was performed using the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library, CENTRAL, Emcare, PsychINFO, Academic Search Premier and Google Scholar. Articles published before August 2018 reporting in-hospital acute care costs for patients with s-TBI were included. Quality was assessed by using a 19-item checklist based on the CHEERS statement.

Results

Twenty-five out of 2372 articles were included. In-hospital costs per patient were generally high and ranged from $2,130 to $401,808. Variation between study results was primarily caused by methodological heterogeneity and variable patient and treatment characteristics. The quality assessment showed variable study quality with a mean total score of 71% (range 48% - 96%). Especially items concerning cost data scored poorly (49%) because data source, cost calculation methodology and outcome reporting were regularly unmentioned or inadequately reported.

Conclusions

Healthcare consumption and in-hospital costs for patients with s-TBI were high and varied widely between studies. Costs were primarily driven by the length of stay and surgical intervention and increased with higher TBI severity. However, drawing firm conclusions on the actual in-hospital costs of patients sustaining s-TBI was complicated due to variation and inadequate quality of the included studies. Future economic evaluations should focus on the long-term cost-effectiveness of treatment strategies and use guideline recommendations and common data elements to improve study quality.

Twenty-Five Years of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Retrospective, Single-Center Analysis

BACKGROUND

Intracranial pressure (ICP) is a clinically important variable after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and has been monitored, along with clinical outcome, for over 25 yr in Addenbrooke's hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom. This time period has also seen changes in management strategies with the implementation of protocolled specialist neurocritical care, expansion of neuromonitoring techniques, and adjustments of clinical treatment targets.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the changes in intracranial monitoring variables over the past 25 yr.

METHODS

Data from 1146 TBI patients requiring ICP monitoring were analyzed. Monitored variables included ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and the cerebral pressure reactivity index (PRx). Data were stratified into 5-yr epochs spanning the 25 yr from 1992 to 2017.

RESULTS

CPP increased sharply with specialist neurocritical care management (P &lt; 0.0001) (introduction of a specific TBI management algorithm) before stabilizing from 2000 onwards. ICP decreased significantly over the 25 yr of monitoring from an average of 19 to 12 mmHg (P &lt; 0.0001) but PRx remained unchanged. The mean number of ICP plateau waves and the number of patients developing refractory intracranial hypertension both decreased significantly. Mortality did not significantly change in the cohort (22%).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate the evolving trends in neurophysiological monitoring over the past 25 yr from a single, academic neurocritical care unit. ICP and CPP were responsive to the introduction of an ICP/CPP protocol while PRx has remained unchanged.

Temporal changes in outcome following intensive care unit treatment after traumatic brain injury: a 17-year experience in a large academic neurosurgical centre

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, it remains undetermined whether long-term outcomes after TBI have improved over the past two decades.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive TBI patients admitted to an academic neurosurgical ICU during 1999-2015. Primary outcomes of interest were 6-month all-cause mortality (available for all patients) and 6-month Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS, available from 2005 onwards). GOS was dichotomized to favourable and unfavourable functional outcome. Temporal changes in outcome were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, GCS motor score, pupillary light responsiveness, Marshall CT classification and major extracranial injury.

RESULTS

Altogether, 3193 patients were included. During the study period, patient age and admission Glasgow Coma Scale score increased, while the overall TBI severity did not change. Overall unadjusted 6-month mortality was 25% and overall unadjusted unfavourable outcome (2005-2015) was 44%. There was no reduction in the adjusted odds of 6-month mortality (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96-1.00), but the adjusted odds of favourable functional outcome significantly increased (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.04-1.11). Subgroup analysis showed outcome improvements only in specific subgroups (conservatively treated patients, moderate-to-severe TBI patients, middle-aged patients).

CONCLUSIONS

During the past two decades, mortality after significant TBI has remained largely unchanged, but the odds of favourable functional outcome have increased significantly in specific subgroups, implying an improvement in quality of care. These developments have been paralleled by notable changes in patient characteristics, emphasizing the importance of continuous epidemiological monitoring.

Prognosis of Acute Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly: A Systematic Review

Acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) is among the most common injury types encountered by neurosurgeons, and carries a poor prognosis, particularly in the elderly. As the incidence of aSDH in the elderly population rises, identifying those patients who may benefit from operative intervention is crucial. This systematic review aimed to identify data on prognostic factors or indices, such as the modified frailty index, that may help predict outcome, and hence guide management. A comprehensive search of online databases was conducted by two independent authors, and data on prognostic factors and outcomes were extracted. The quality of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Of 769 studies identified in the initial search, 7 satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria. Mortality and morbidity varied considerably among studies. Initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 3-8 was the most consistently reported negative prognostic feature. Several studies evaluated the impact of medical comorbidities and premorbid frailty, but were limited by small sample size. A previous history of pneumonia was shown to increase the risk of Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) 1-3 (odds ratio [OR] 6.4 [95% CI 1.6-25.2], p = 0.04) in a single study, which also reported a greater increase in GOS at 3 months in those with fewer than five comorbidities (56% vs. 19%, p < 0.01). There are limited data describing prognostic factors or the use of frailty indices within the specific group of elderly patients with aSDH. Prospective research is needed to evaluate the utility of accurate and validated assessments of frailty to enhance the neurosurgeon's ability to appropriately manage this complex and expanding patient group.

Efficacy of the All-in-One Therapeutic Strategy for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Preliminary Outcome and Limitation

Objective

Despite recent advances in medicine, no significant improvement has been achieved in therapeutic outcomes for severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the treatment of severe multiple traumas, accurate judgment and prompt action corresponding to rapid pathophysiological changes are required. Therefore, we developed the “All-in-One” therapeutic strategy for severe TBI. In this report, we present the therapeutic concept and discuss its efficacy and limitations.

Methods

From April 2007 to December 2015, 439 patients diagnosed as having traumatic intracranial injuries were treated at our institution. Among them, 158 patients were treated surgically. The “All-in-One” therapeutic strategy was adopted to enforce all selectable treatments for these patients at the initial stages. The outline of this strategy is as follows: first, prompt trepanation surgery in the emergency room (ER); second, extensive decompression craniotomy (DC) in the operating room (OR); and finally, combined mild hypothermia and moderate barbiturate (H-B) therapy for 3 to 5 days. We performed these approaches on a regular basis rather than stepwise rule. If necessary, internal ecompression surgery and external ventricular drainage were performed in cases in which intracranial pressure could not be controlled.

Results

Trepanation surgery in the ER was performed in 97 cases; among these cases, 46 had hematoma removal surgery and also underwent DC in the OR. Craniotomy was not enforced unless the consciousness level and pupil findings did not improve after previous treatments. H-B therapy was administered in 56 cases. Internal decompression surgery, including evacuation of traumatic intracerebral hematoma, was additionally performed in 12 cases. Three months after injury, the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score yielded the following results: good recovery in 25 cases (16%), mild disability in 28 (18%), severe disability in 33 (21%), persistent vegetative state in 9 (6%), and death in 63 (40%). Furthermore, 27 (36%) of the 76 most severe patients who had an abnormal response of bilateral eye pupils were life-saving. Because many cases of a GOS score of ≤5 are included in this study, this result must be satisfactory.

Conclusion

This therapeutic strategy without any lose in the appropriate treatment timing can improve the outcomes of the most severe TBI cases. We think that the breakthrough in the treatment of severe TBI will depend on the shift in the treatment policy.