Clinico-radiological related to early brain death factors.

Abstract

To identify clinical and radiological factors associated to early evolution to brain death (BD), defined as occurring within the first 24hours. A retrospective cohort study was made covering the period 2015-2017. An adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Epidemiological, clinical and imaging (CT scan) parameters upon admission to the ICU in patients evolving to BD. A total of 166 patients with BD (86 males, mean age 62.7 years) were analyzed. Primary cause: intracerebral hemorrhage 42.8%, subarachnoid hemorrhage 18.7%, traumatic brain injury 17.5%, anoxia 9%, stroke 7.8%, other causes 4.2%. Epidemiological data: arterial hypertension 50%, dyslipidemia 34%, smoking 33%, antiplatelet medication 21%, alcoholism 19%, anticoagulant therapy 15%, diabetes 15%. The Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) upon admission was 3 in 68.8% of the cases in early BD versus in 38.2% of the cases in BD occurring after 24h (p=0.0001). Eighty-five patients presented supratentorial hematomas with a volume of 90.9ml in early BD versus 82.7ml in BD>24h (p=0.54). The mean midline shift was 10.7mm in early BD versus 7.8mm in BD>24h (p=0.045). Ninety-one patients presented ventriculomegaly and 38 additionally ependymal transudation (p=0.021). Thirty-six patients with early BD versus 24 with BD>24h presented complete effacement of basal cisterns (p=0.005), sulcular effacement (p=0.013), loss of cortico-subcortical differentiation (p=0.0001) and effacement of the suprasellar cistern (p=0.005). The optic nerve sheath measurements showed no significant differences between groups. Early BD (>24h) was associated to GCS<5, midline shift, effacement of the basal cisterns, cerebral sulci and suprasellar cistern, and ependymal transudation.