Prognostic Factors in Diffuse Axonal Injuries of Brain

ABSTRACT

Sixty-seven patients with moderate to severe cerebral diffused sxonal injuries(that is, in post-traumatic coma for over 24 hours without mass lesions or ischemic insults) were admitted during past four years and four months period ending April 30, 1991. A retrospective study of these patients was done for identification of prognostic factor. The ratio of male to female was 2.7 to 1 and the peak incidence was at the second decade. The most common cause of trauma was traffic accident and pedestrian trauma was the most common event among that. Forty-nine patients(73%) recovered from coma, nine(13%) remained in vegetative state and another nine(13%) died. The median duration of coma was 13 days. The age, initial Glasgow Coma scale(GCS), prolonged duration of coma, initial motor reactivities, signs of hypothalamic damage, corpus callosum and brain stem lesions on brain MRI were proved as adverse factors for prognosis.