Brief report: a comparison of clinical and research practices in measuring cerebral perfusion pressure: a literature review and practitioner survey.

Abstract

Our objective was to determine whether there is variability in the foundational literature and across centers in how mean arterial blood pressure is measured to calculate cerebral perfusion pressure. We reviewed foundational literature and sent an e-mail survey to members of the Neurocritical Care Society. Of 32 articles reporting cerebral perfusion pressure data, the reference point for mean arterial blood pressure was identified in 16: 10 heart and 6 midbrain. The overall survey response rate was 14.3%. Responses from 31 of 34 (91%) United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties fellowship-accredited Neurointensive Care Units indicated the reference point was most often the heart (74%), followed by the midbrain (16%). Conflicting answers were received from 10%. There is substantive heterogeneity in both research reports and clinical practice in how mean arterial blood pressure is measured to determine cerebral perfusion pressure.