Prognostic factors in postraumatic severe diffuse brain injury.

Abstract

It is usually defficult in clinical practice to establish factors affecting final outcome in patients suffering severe diffuse brain injury (SDBI), due to the absence of specific semiology. We studied retrospectively 160 consecutive patients with criteria of SDBI. We performed a statistical analysis of epidemiological, clinical and radiological factors, and relationship with final outcome. 35% of patients with severe head injury presented SDBI. Sixty percent were 15-35 year old and 73% male. More than 45% of the patients presented GCS 3 or 4. On CT performed during the first 24 h, haemorrhagic lesions appeared in white matter in 35% and subarachnoid haemorrhage was observed in 28%. During the first 24 h., 66% of patients presented values of intracranial pressure (ICP) above 20 mm Hg and a 33% below 20 mm Hg. Twenty percent of the patients had ICP > 20 mm and no response to treatment. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), mortality of more than 50% and 25% of patients with persistent vegetative state or severe disability were observed. Clinical evaluation, early CT findings, ICP values and their response to medical treatment and clinical complications were found to be related (p < 0.05) to final outcome (GOS).