[Prognostic capacity of brain herniation signs in patients with structural neurological injury]. / Capacidad pronóstica de los signos de herniación cerebral en pacientes con afectación neurológica estructural.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the usual mortality prediction systems (APACHE and SAPS) can be complemented by cranial computed tomography (CT) brain herniation findings in patients with structural neurological involvement. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Trauma ICU in university hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred and fifty five patients admitted to ICU in 2003 with cranial trauma or acute stroke. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Data were collected on age, diagnosis, mortality, admission cranial CT findings and on APACHE II, APACHE III and SAPS II scores. RESULTS: Mean age was 47.8 +/- 19.4 years; APACHE II, 17.1 +/- 7.2 points; SAPS II, 43.7 +/- 17.7 points; and APACHE III, 55.8 +/- 29.7 points. Hospital mortality was 36% and mortality predicted by SAPS II was 38%, by APACHE II 30% and by APACHE III 36%. The 56 non-survivors showed greater midline shift on cranial CT scan versus survivors (4.2 +/- 5.5 vs. 1.6 +/- 3.22 mm, p = 0.002) and higher severity as assessed by SAPS II, APACHE II and APACHE III. The mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with subfalcial herniation (61% vs. 30%, p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, hospital mortality was associated with the likelihood of death according to APACHE III (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05-1.09) and with presence of subfalcial herniation (OR 3.15; 95% CI: 1.07-9.25). CONCLUSIONS: In critical care patients with structural neurological involvement, cranial CT signs of subfalcial herniation complement the prognostic information given by the usual severity indexes.

Capacidad pronóstica de los signos de herniación cerebral en pacientes con afectación neurológica estructural / Prognostic capacity of brain herniation signs in patients with structural neurological injury

Objetivo. Analizar en los pacientes con afectación neurológica estructural si los sistemas de predicción de mortalidad habitualmente usados (APACHE y SAPS) pueden ser complementados con los hallazgos de herniación cerebral encontrados en la tomografía computarizada (TC) craneal. Diseño. Estudio prospectivo de cohortes. Ámbito. Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de Traumatología de un hospital universitario. Pacientes. Ciento cincuenta y cinco pacientes ingresados en UCI durante el 2003 con traumatismo craneoencefálico (TCE) o accidente cerebrovascular agudo (ACVA). Variables de interés principales. Se recogió información sobre la edad, el diagnóstico, la mortalidad, los hallazgos en la TC craneal al ingreso, APACHE II, APACHE III y SAPS II. Resultados. La edad fue de 47,8 ± 19,4 años, el APACHE II 17,1 ± 7,2 puntos, el SAPS II 43,7 ± 17,7 puntos y el APACHE III de 55,8 ± 29,7 puntos. La mortalidad hospitalaria fue del 36% y la predicha por el SAPS II fue del 38%, por el APACHE II 30% y por el APACHE III 36%. Los 56 pacientes que fallecieron presentaban mayor desviación de la línea media en la TC craneal que los supervivientes: 4,2 ± 5,5 frente a 1,7 ± 3,2 mm (p = 0,002) y mayor gravedad evaluada con el SAPS II, APACHE II y APACHE III. La mortalidad fue significativamente mayor en los pacientes con herniación subfalcial (61% frente a 30%, p < 0,001). En el análisis multivariante con regresión logística se encontró que la mortalidad hospitalaria se asoció con la probabilidad de fallecer según el APACHE III (OR 1,07; IC 95%: 1,05-1,09) y con la presencia de herniación subfalcial (OR 3,15; IC 95%: 1,07-9,25). Conclusiones. En los pacientes críticos con afectación estructural neurológica, la presencia de signos de herniación subfalcial en la TC craneal complementan la información pronóstica de los índices de gravedad normalmente utilizados

Objective. To determine whether the usual mortality prediction systems (APACHE and SAPS) can be complemented by cranial computed tomography (CT) brain herniation findings in patients with structural neurological involvement. Design. Prospective cohort study. Setting. Trauma ICU in university hospital. Patients. One hundred and fifty five patients admitted to ICU in 2003 with cranial trauma or acute stroke. Main variables of interest. Data were collected on age, diagnosis, mortality, admission cranial CT findings and on APACHE II, APACHE III and SAPS II scores. Results. Mean age was 47.8 ± 19.4 years; APACHE II, 17.1 ± 7.2 points; SAPS II, 43.7 ± 17.7 points; and APACHE III, 55.8 ± 29.7 points. Hospital mortality was 36% and mortality predicted by SAPS II was 38%, by APACHE II 30% and by APACHE III 36%. The 56 non-survivors showed greater midline shift on cranial CT scan versus survivors (4.2 ± 5.5 vs. 1.6 ± 3.22 mm, p = 0.002) and higher severity as assessed by SAPS II, APACHE II and APACHE III. The mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with subfalcial herniation (61% vs. 30%, p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, hospital mortality was associated with the likelihood of death according to APACHE III (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05-1.09) and with presence of subfalcial herniation (OR 3.15; 95% CI: 1.07-9.25). Conclusions. In critical care patients with structural neurological involvement, cranial CT signs of subfalcial herniation complement the prognostic information given by the usual severity indexes

[Pituitary apoplexy in 2 hypophyseal tumors]. / Apoplejía hipofisaria en dos tumores hipofisarios.

Hypophyseal apoplexy is not always easy to confirm morphologically or analytically. We present a patient with Cushing's syndrome due to hypophyseal apoplexy and optochiasmic pachyarachnoiditis which produced serious visual alterations. The adenoma necrotized behind an area of hypophyseal apoplexy which cured the patient's Cushing's disease. The second case was admitted with hypophyseal apoplexy, presenting hypophyseal tumoration with signs of hemorrhage and subsequent panhypopituitarism.