The Outcome of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disproportionately affects lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The factors influencing outcomes in LMIC have not been examined as rigorously as in higher-income countries. METHODS: This study was conducted to examine clinical and demographic factors influencing TBI outcomes in Latin American LMIC. Data were prospectively collected during a randomized trial of intracranial pressure monitoring in severe TBI and a companion observational study. Participants were aged ≥13 years and admitted to study hospitals with Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8. The primary outcome was Glasgow Outcome Scale, Extended (GOS-E) score at 6 months. Predictors were analyzed using a multivariable proportional odds model created by forward stepwise selection. RESULTS: A total of 550 patients were identified. Six-month outcomes were available for 88%, of whom 37% had died and 44% had achieved a GOS-E score of 5-8. In multivariable proportional odds modeling, higher Glasgow Coma Scale motor score (odds ratio [OR], 1.41 per point; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.61) and epidural hematoma (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.17-2.86) were significant predictors of higher GOS-E score, whereas advanced age (OR, 0.65 per 10 years; 95% CI, 0.57-0.73) and cisternal effacement (P < 0.001) were associated with lower GOS-E score. Study site (P < 0.001) and race (P = 0.004) significantly predicted outcome, outweighing clinical variables such as hypotension and pupillary examination. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from severe TBI is high in Latin American LMIC, although the rate of favorable recovery is similar to that of high-income countries. Demographic factors such as race and study site played an outsized role in predicting outcome; further research is required to understand these associations.

Intracranial pressure monitoring in severe traumatic brain injury in latin america: process and methods for a multi-center randomized controlled trial.

In patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), the influence on important outcomes of the use of information from intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring to direct treatment has never been tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). We are conducting an RCT in six trauma centers in Latin America to test this question. We hypothesize that patients randomized to ICP monitoring will have lower mortality and better outcomes at 6-months post-trauma than patients treated without ICP monitoring. We selected three centers in Bolivia to participate in the trial, based on (1) the absence of ICP monitoring, (2) adequate patient accession and data collection during the pilot phase, (3) preliminary institutional review board approval, and (4) the presence of equipoise about the value of ICP monitoring. We conducted extensive training of site personnel, and initiated the trial on September 1, 2008. Subsequently, we included three additional centers. A total of 176 patients were entered into the trial as of August 31, 2010. Current enrollment is 81% of that expected. The trial is expected to reach its enrollment goal of 324 patients by September of 2011. We are conducting a high-quality RCT to answer a question that is important globally. In addition, we are establishing the capacity to conduct strong research in Latin America, where TBI is a serious epidemic. Finally, we are demonstrating the feasibility and utility of international collaborations that share resources and unique patient populations to conduct strong research about global public health concerns.

Early prognosis of severe traumatic brain injury in an urban argentinian trauma center.

BACKGROUND: : Previous studies indicate that age, Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS), arterial hypotension, computed tomography (CT) findings, and pupillary reactivity are strong predictors of outcome for patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the predictive validity of these variables has never been rigorously tested in patients from the developing world. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of these variables in a resource-limited setting and to test their predictive power by using them to create an outcome model. METHODS: : The study was conducted at Hospital Emergencias "Dr. Clemente Alvarez" in Rosario, Argentina. All patients with severe TBI meeting criteria between August 2000 and February 2003 were included. Outcome at 6 months postinjury was measured by mortality and by the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale score. Two logistic regression models were created for predicting mortality and outcome. RESULTS: : Outcome measures were acquired for 100% of the sample (N = 148). There was 58% mortality; 30% had moderate to good recovery, and 12% were severely disabled. The model accurately predicted 83.9% of mortality, and 81.1% of outcome. Because of variation in timing of CT scans, the models were recalculated without the CT variable. The accuracy of prediction was 79.7% and 79% for mortality and Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: : This study provides rigorous, prospective data that (1) validates the generalizability of the five World Health Organization/Organization Mondiale de la Santé TBI prognostic predictors outside of the developed world, and (2) provides outcome benchmarks for mortality and morbidity from severe TBI in developing countries.

Mortality and morbidity from moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in Argentina.

UNLABELLED: After adopting the Guidelines for the Management of Severe Head Injury, critical care physicians in Argentina reduced the mortality rate of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there is no in-hospital or postdischarge rehabilitation services for persons with TBI in Argentina. Thus, severely disabled survivors were being discharged to home without follow-up or long-term care. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this project were to establish a structure for conducting research about TBI in Argentina, and to conduct a prospective, observational study of outcomes from TBI in hospitals that had adopted the acute care guidelines. The goal was to document outcomes for people treated in a medical system that does not provide TBI rehabilitation. The focus of this report is mortality and morbidity during the acute care and hospital ward treatment of TBI in Argentina. METHODS: We established a data-collection system in 5 hospitals in Argentina, using instruments and protocols developed by the NIDRR-funded TBI Model System program. Data-collection intervals were established to be comparable with intervals used in the TBI Model System program. The Argentine team consists of 11 neurocritical care physicians and 1 project manager/translator. All patient evaluation, data collection and entry, quality control, and local administration were conducted by this group. RESULTS: Over 31 months, 278 patients were entered into the study. Approximately 61% were discharged from acute care directly to home. The in-hospital mortality rate was 31%. Seventy-six percent of expired patients died from secondary complications such as sepsis and pneumonia, and 93% while in the hospital. DISCUSSION: TBI is a major public health concern in Argentina. However, rehabilitation for TBI is not a part of this country's medical system. The greatest proportion of expired patients in the Argentine sample died of secondary complications such as pneumonia or sepsis, which may have been avoided employing basic medical rehabilitation. The next research questions to be addressed in this population should be designed to identify solutions to the immediate need for rehabilitation, including treatment efficacy questions as well as questions about systems for delivering treatments.

Inmunodepresión secundaria a traumatismo encefalocraneano / Immunodepression induced by traumatic brain injury

Introducción: Los pacientes que sobreviven a la injuria inicial por trauma severo presentan con elevada frecuencia complicaciones infecciosas, sépticas y disfunción multiorgánica. El traumatismo de cráneo (TEC) parece ser un factor de riesgo independiente en relación con la aparición de esas complicaciones. Los mecanismos causales estarían relacionados a una parálisis de la inmunidad celular inducida por el TEC. Objetivos: Analizar el grado de alteración de la competencia inmunológica en pacientes con TEC severo, determinado por los niveles plasmáticos de las citokinas IL-10, IL-6 y TNF-Ó y el nivel de expresión de HLA-DR de los monocitos sanguíneos CD14+. Pacientes y métodos: Se incorporaron 15 pacientes ingresados con TEC severo (GCS ¾ 8). Ninguno de los pacientes había recibido corticoides ni catecolaminas. Trece voluntarios normales se utilizaron como controles...

Inmunodepresión secundaria a traumatismo encefalocraneano / Immunodepression induced by traumatic brain injury

Introducción: Los pacientes que sobreviven a la injuria inicial por trauma severo presentan con elevada frecuencia complicaciones infecciosas, sépticas y disfunción multiorgánica. El traumatismo de cráneo (TEC) parece ser un factor de riesgo independiente en relación con la aparición de esas complicaciones. Los mecanismos causales estarían relacionados a una parálisis de la inmunidad celular inducida por el TEC. Objetivos: Analizar el grado de alteración de la competencia inmunológica en pacientes con TEC severo, determinado por los niveles plasmáticos de las citokinas IL-10, IL-6 y TNF-O y el nivel de expresión de HLA-DR de los monocitos sanguíneos CD14+. Pacientes y métodos: Se incorporaron 15 pacientes ingresados con TEC severo (GCS 8). Ninguno de los pacientes había recibido corticoides ni catecolaminas. Trece voluntarios normales se utilizaron como controles...(AU)

Liberación precoz de la citokina antiinflamatoria IL10 en el trauma severo de craneo / Early release of the antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 in traumatic brain injury

Los pacientes que sobreviven a la injuria inicial de un trauma severo presentan con elevada frecuencia complicaciones infecciosas, sépticas y disfunción multiorgánica. Los mecanismos causales estarían relacionados a una alteración de la inmunidad celular inducida por el trauma y mediada en parte por la a expresión de citokinas antinflamatorias. Se evaluaron los niveles plasmáticos de la citokina antinflamatoria IL-10 y de la citokina proinflamatoria TNF-a en 15 pacientes ingresados con traumatismo encefalocraneano (TEC) severo predominante. Ninguno de los pacientes había recibido corticoides ni catecolaminas; 13 voluntarios normales se utilizaron como controles. Al ingreso los niveles plasmáticos de IL-10 fueron significativamente mayores en los pacientes que en los controles: 41.8 (17.3-265.4) pg/mL vs. 2.2 (1.4-2.7) pg/mL, p<0.001 (test de Mann-Withney). Los niveles de IL-10 no fueron diferentes entre la primera (menos de 6 horas post-trauma) y la segunda muestra (4 horas después) (test de Wilcoxon). Los niveles plasmáticos de TNF-a fueron semejantes en los pacientes respecto a los controles. Estos resultados muestran que los pacientes con TEC severo desarrollan precozmente una respuesta con elevación significativa de los niveles plasmáticos de IL-10 y que podría explicar, por lo menos en parte, la situación de inmunodepresión inducida por el TEC.

Liberación precoz de la citokina antiinflamatoria IL10 en el trauma severo de craneo / Early release of the antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 in traumatic brain injury

Los pacientes que sobreviven a la injuria inicial de un trauma severo presentan con elevada frecuencia complicaciones infecciosas, sépticas y disfunción multiorgánica. Los mecanismos causales estarían relacionados a una alteración de la inmunidad celular inducida por el trauma y mediada en parte por la a expresión de citokinas antinflamatorias. Se evaluaron los niveles plasmáticos de la citokina antinflamatoria IL-10 y de la citokina proinflamatoria TNF-a en 15 pacientes ingresados con traumatismo encefalocraneano (TEC) severo predominante. Ninguno de los pacientes había recibido corticoides ni catecolaminas; 13 voluntarios normales se utilizaron como controles. Al ingreso los niveles plasmáticos de IL-10 fueron significativamente mayores en los pacientes que en los controles: 41.8 (17.3-265.4) pg/mL vs. 2.2 (1.4-2.7) pg/mL, p<0.001 (test de Mann-Withney). Los niveles de IL-10 no fueron diferentes entre la primera (menos de 6 horas post-trauma) y la segunda muestra (4 horas después) (test de Wilcoxon). Los niveles plasmáticos de TNF-a fueron semejantes en los pacientes respecto a los controles. Estos resultados muestran que los pacientes con TEC severo desarrollan precozmente una respuesta con elevación significativa de los niveles plasmáticos de IL-10 y que podría explicar, por lo menos en parte, la situación de inmunodepresión inducida por el TEC. (AU)