Increased serum sFas and TNFα following isolated severe head injury in males

Abstract

Objectives: Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a 30–70% mortality rate. Nevertheless, controversy has been raised concerning the prognostic value of biomarkers following severe TBI. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether sFas or TNFα serum levels correlate with primary outcome following isolated severe TBI.Methods: Seventeen consecutive male patients, victims of isolated severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 3–8) and a control group consisting of 6 healthy male volunteers were enrolled in this prospective study. Clinical outcome variables of severe TBI comprised: survival, time for intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, and neurological assessment by Glasgow Outcome Scale at ICU discharge. Venous blood samples were taken at admission in the ICU. Serum sFas and TNFα concentrations were measured by ELISA assays.Results: At admission in the ICU (mean time 10.2 h after injury), mean sFas and TNFα concentrations were significantly increased in the TBI (0.105 and 24.275 ρg/l, respectively) compared with the control group (0.047 and 15.475 ρg/l, respectively). However, no significant correlation was found between higher serum sFas or TNFα concentrations and fatal outcome.Conclusions: Increased serum sFas and TNFα levels following isolated severe TBI did not predict fatal outcome.