Traumatic Intracranial Injury Research Articles

Chronic immunosuppression across 12 months and high ability of acute and subacute CNS-injury biomarker concentrations to identify individuals with complicated mTBI on acute CT and MRI

BackgroundIdentifying individuals with intracranial injuries following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), i.e. complicated mTBI cases, is important for follow-up and prognostication. The main aims of our study were (1) to assess the temporal evolution of blood biomarkers of CNS injury and inflammation in individuals with complicated mTBI determined on computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); (2) to assess the corresponding discriminability of both single- and multi-biomarker panels, from acute to chronic phases after injury.MethodsPatients with mTBI (n = 207), defined as Glasgow Coma Scale score between 13 and 15, loss of consciousness < 30 min and post-traumatic amnesia < 24 h, were included. Complicated mTBI – i.e., presence of any traumatic intracranial injury on neuroimaging – was present in 8% (n = 16) on CT (CT+) and 12% (n = 25) on MRI (MRI+). Blood biomarkers were sampled at four timepoints following injury: admission (within 72 h), 2 weeks (± 3 days), 3 months (± 2 weeks) and 12 months (± 1 month). CNS biomarkers included were glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NFL) and tau, along with 12 inflammation markers.ResultsThe most discriminative single biomarkers of traumatic intracranial injury were GFAP at admission (CT+: AUC = 0.78; MRI+: AUC = 0.82), and NFL at 2 weeks (CT+: AUC = 0.81; MRI+: AUC = 0.89) and 3 months (MRI+: AUC = 0.86). MIP-1β and IP-10 concentrations were significantly lower across follow-up period in individuals who were CT+ and MRI+. Eotaxin and IL-9 were significantly lower in individuals who were MRI+ only. FGF-basic concentrations increased over time in MRI- individuals and were significantly higher than MRI+ individuals at 3 and 12 months. Multi-biomarker panels improved discriminability over single biomarkers at all timepoints (AUCs > 0.85 for admission and 2-week models classifying CT+ and AUC ≈ 0.90 for admission, 2-week and 3-month models classifying MRI+).ConclusionsThe CNS biomarkers GFAP and NFL were useful single diagnostic biomarkers of complicated mTBI, especially in acute and subacute phases after mTBI. Several inflammation markers were suppressed in patients with complicated versus uncomplicated mTBI and remained so even after 12 months. Multi-biomarker panels improved diagnostic accuracy at all timepoints, though at acute and 2-week timepoints, the single biomarkers GFAP and NFL, respectively, displayed similar accuracy compared to multi-biomarker panels.

Rates of operative intervention and in-hospital mortality following subarachnoid hemorrhage in patients with COVID-19.

COVID-19 had massive effects on the healthcare system and multifactorial implications for the management of intensive care unit and cerebrovascular patients. This study aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 on the outcomes of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify patients with nontraumatic SAH (ICD-10 code I60.x). Patients with nonaneurysmal cerebrovascular malformations or traumatic intracranial injuries were excluded. Only patients managed from April to December 2020 were included in the study given the availability of an ICD-10 code for COVID-19. Data on sociodemographic factors, hospital characteristics, comorbidities, NIS SAH Severity Score (NIS-SSS), surgical treatment, and death were acquired. Multivariable analysis was used to assess predictors of both surgical intervention and in-hospital mortality. In total, 6984 patients met the study criteria, 359 (5.1%) of whom had COVID-19. Those with COVID-19 were more likely to be younger and male and had a higher All Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups illness severity subclass, and NIS-SSS. Moreover, patients with COVID-19 were less likely to undergo surgery (10.0% vs 23.6%, OR 0.35, p < 0.0001) and had significantly higher mortality rates (48.2% vs 22.7%, p < 0.0001). When controlling for other variables, COVID-19 was an independent predictor of death (OR 1.67, p = 0.0002). Aneurysm surgery was performed in 1597 patients (317 open and 1280 endovascular procedures). There was no difference between the cohorts positive and negative for COVID-19 in terms of time to surgery or type of surgery. COVID-19 had significant impacts on patients with nontraumatic SAH. Specifically, patients with COVID-19 were significantly less likely to undergo surgery and had higher in-hospital mortality rates; however, for patients who did undergo procedural intervention, there was no significant difference in the type of intervention. Multiple factors, from medical acuity to healthcare system limitations, may contribute to these findings. Further retrospective research is needed to identify both specific causes of lower intervention rates and other potential nonaneurysmal causes of SAH in patients with COVID-19.

Medicaid Insurance is a Predictor of Prolonged Hospital Length of Stay After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Stratified National Trauma Data Bank Cohort Analysis of 552 949 Patients.

Hospital length of stay (HLOS) is a metric of injury severity, resource utilization, and healthcare access. Recent evidence has shown an association between Medicaid insurance and increased HLOS after traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aims to validate the association between Medicaid and prolonged HLOS after TBI using the National Trauma Data Bank. National Trauma Data Bank Trauma Quality Programs Participant Use Files (2003-2021) were queried for adult patients with TBI using traumatic intracranial injury ICD-9/ICD-10 codes. Patients with complete HLOS, age, sex, race, insurance payor, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, and discharge disposition data were included (N = 552 949). Analyses were stratified by TBI severity using Glasgow Coma Scale. HLOS was coded into Tiers according to percentiles within TBI severity categories (Tier 1: 1-74th; 2: 75-84th; 3: 85-94th; 4: 95-99th). Multivariable logistic regressions evaluated associations between insurance payor and prolonged (Tier 4) HLOS, controlling for sociodemographic, Injury Severity Score, cranial surgery, and discharge disposition variables. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% CI were reported. HLOS Tiers consisted of 0-19, 20-27, 28-46, and ≥47 days (Tiers 1-4, respectively) in severe TBI (N = 103 081); 0-15, 16-21, 22-37, and ≥38 days in moderate TBI (N = 39 904); and 0-7, 8-10, 11-19, and ≥20 days in mild TBI (N = 409 964). Proportion of Medicaid patients increased with Tier ([Tier 1 vs Tier 4] severe: 16.0% vs 36.1%; moderate: 14.1% vs 31.6%; mild TBI: 10.2% vs 17.4%; all P < .001). On multivariable analyses, Medicaid was associated with prolonged HLOS (severe TBI: aOR = 2.35 [2.19-2.52]; moderate TBI: aOR = 2.30 [2.04-2.61]; mild TBI: aOR = 1.75 [1.67-1.83]; reference category: private/commercial). This study supports Medicaid as an independent predictor of prolonged HLOS across TBI severity strata. Reasons may include different efficacies in care delivery and reimbursement, which require further investigation. Our findings support the development of discharge coordination pathways and policies for Medicaid patients with TBI.

Evaluating CAPO®: A biocompatibility, transparency, and fitment assessment for use with CEREBO® in traumatic intracranial injury detection.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a global concern affecting millions of patients, requiring robust infection prevention and control measures. In particular, patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are highly susceptible to nosocomial infections, emphasizing the importance of infection control. Non-invasive near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device, CEREBO® integrated with a disposable component CAPO® has emerged as a valuable tool for TBI patient triage and this study evaluated the safety and efficacy of this combination. Biocompatibility tests confirmed safety and transparency assessments demonstrated excellent light transmission. Clinical evaluation with 598 enrollments demonstrated high accuracy of CEREBO® in detecting traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. During these evaluations, the cap fitted well and moved smoothly with the probes demonstrating appropriate flexibility. These findings support the efficacy of the CAPO® and CEREBO® combination, potentially improving infection control and enhancing intracranial hemorrhage detection for TBI patient triage. Ultimately, this can lead to better healthcare outcomes and reduced global HAIs.

Impact of premorbid oral anticoagulant use on survival in patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Although oral anticoagulant use has been implicated in worse outcomes for patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), prior studies have mostly examined the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In an era of increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in lieu of VKAs, the authors compared the survival outcomes of TBI patients on different types of premorbid anticoagulation medications with those of patients not on anticoagulation. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 1186 adult patients who presented at a level I trauma center with an intracranial hemorrhage after blunt trauma between 2016 and 2022. Patient demographics; comorbidities; and pre-, peri-, and postinjury characteristics were compared based on premorbid anticoagulation use. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling of mortality was performed to adjust for risk factors that met a significance threshold of p < 0.1 on bivariate analysis. Of 1186 patients with a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, 49 (4.1%) were taking DOACs and 53 (4.5%) used VKAs at the time of injury. Patients using oral anticoagulants were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), to have a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (p < 0.001), and to present with a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (p < 0.001) and lower Injury Severity Score (ISS; p < 0.001) than those on no anticoagulation. Patients using VKAs were more likely to undergo reversal than patients using DOACs (53% vs 31%, p < 0.001). Cox proportional hazards regression demonstrated significantly increased hazard ratios (HRs) for VKA use (HR 2.204, p = 0.003) and DOAC use (HR 1.973, p = 0.007). Increasing age (HR 1.040, p < 0.001), ISS (HR 1.017, p = 0.01), and Marshall score (HR 1.186, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of death. A higher GCS score on admission was associated with a decreased risk of death (HR 0.912, p < 0.001). Patients with a traumatic intracranial injury who were on oral anticoagulant therapy before injury demonstrated higher mortality rates than patients who were not on oral anticoagulation after adjusting for age, comorbid conditions, and injury presentation.

A-094 Performance Evaluation of GFAP and UCH-L1 Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Alinity i TBI Test (in development)

Abstract Background Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has been recognized as an important cause of death and disability and is a growing public health problem. An estimated 69 million people globally experience a TBI annually. Blood-based biomarkers such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) have shown utility to predict acute traumatic intracranial injury on head CT scan after TBI. Methods The Alinity i TBI test is a panel of in vitro diagnostic chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays for the measurement of GFAP and UCH-L1 in plasma and serum. Performance characteristics such as detection limits, imprecision, linearity, measuring interval, expected values, and interferences were established following CLSI guidance. A feasibility cohort of 354 subjects was used to establish cutoffs which assist in determining the need for a CT (computed tomography) scan of the head. A prospective study was conducted to assess the clinical performance of the TBI test. Fresh plasma specimens from 97 mild TBI subjects presenting to Level I trauma centers were collected within 12 h of injury from subjects ≥18 years of age who presented with suspected TBI and had a head CT scan performed. The TBI interpretation is considered positive if either GFAP or UCH-L1 is greater than or equal to the cutoffs. The TBI interpretation is considered negative if both GFAP and UCH-L1 are less than the cutoffs. Results The analytical measuring interval (AMI) extends from the limit of quantitation (LoQ) to the upper LoQ and is determined by the range that demonstrates acceptable performance for linearity, imprecision, and bias. The AMI is 6.1 to 42 000.0 pg/mL for GFAP and 26.3 to 25 000.0 pg/mL for UCH-L1. Within-laboratory imprecision (20 day) ranged from 2.8% to 5.3% CV for GFAP and 2.1% to 5.6% CV for UCH-L1. Cutoffs for GFAP and UCH-L1 of 35.0 pg/mL and 400.0 pg/mL, respectively, were selected using both 10-fold cross validation and bootstrapping methods and applying a selection criterion of negative predictive value (NPV) (prevalence adjusted) ≥99% and Sensitivity ≥96%. Of the 97 mild TBI subjects evaluated, 14 had positive head CT scan results. All 14 of the subjects with positive head CT results had a positive TBI interpretation (Sensitivity 100.0%; 95% CI:78.5%,100.0%). There were 23 subjects with a negative TBI interpretation, all 23 had a negative head CT scan result. The NPV of the test was 100% (95% CI:85.7%,100.0%). Conclusion The Alinity i TBI test shows robust analytical performance across a broad concentration range of GFAP and UCH-L1 and may serve as a valuable tool to help evaluate TBI patients across the spectrum of mild to severe injury. The established cutoffs were evaluated in a prospective cohort of mild TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13–15) subjects and demonstrated high sensitivity and NPV relative to CT scan results, supporting the utility to rule out the need for CT scan in mild TBI subjects presenting to the emergency department. FUNDING: This work is in collaboration with the US Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, US Army Medical Research and Development Command CRADA 20-1266-CRA.

Use of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence head injury guidelines among patients with delayed presentation after head trauma can lead to missed traumatic brain injury: a 5-year institutional review.

In 2014, traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused 3 million ER visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the US. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, initially generated using data from patients presenting within 24h of head trauma, are used to determine the need for head computed tomography (CT) scan in patients after 24h. The authors wanted to determine the proportion of CT scans for head trauma performed at our center in late presenters (>24h after head trauma), the incidence of intracranial pathology in early (24h) versus late (>24h) presenters, and the sensitivity of the NICE guidelines for TBI in these two subpopulations. A retrospective chart review was conducted at a tertiary care center in Karachi. All people (>16) who had a head CT for head trauma from 2010 to 2015 were included. Age, sex, primary diagnosis, comorbid disorders, mechanism-of-injury, duration (in hours) from head trauma to presentation, site, and extent of injury (injury severity scale), hospital stay, number and details of surgical procedures, CT scan findings, other injuries, and mortality were recorded. Means were compared using the Independent Sample t-test, while categorical variables were compared using χ2. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify TBI predictors. The authors found 2009 eligible patients; seven were excluded due to incomplete medical records. The final statistical analysis comprised 2002 head trauma patients. Overall, 52% of early and late presenters had severe injuries, and 2.3% died. 32.2% of patients with head trauma had CT after 24h. Early presenters were 46.7% traumatized, while late presenters were 63%. The NICE guidelines were 93% sensitive for early presenters and 83% for late presenters with traumatic intracranial injury. Patients coming to the emergency department after 24h of head trauma are a large proportion of the overall head trauma population. The NICE guidelines for late-presenting head injuries are less sensitive and may overlook intracranial injuries if imaging is not performed.

Forensic neuropathology in the past decade: a scoping literature review.

While there has been notable research activity in the field of clinical neuropathology over the recent years, forensic approaches have been less frequent. This scoping literature review explored original research on forensic neuropathology over the past decade (January 1, 2010, until February 12, 2022) using the MEDLINE database. The aims were to (1) analyze the volume of research on the topic, (2) describe meta-level attributes and sample characteristics, and (3) summarize key research themes and methods. Of 5053 initial hits, 2864 fell within the target timeframe, and 122 were included in the review. Only 3-17 articles were published per year globally. Most articles originated from the Europe (39.3%) and Asia (36.1%) and were published in forensic journals (57.4%). A median sample included 57 subjects aged between 16 and 80years. The most common research theme was traumatic intracranial injury (24.6%), followed by anatomy (12.3%) and substance abuse (11.5%). Key methods included immunotechniques (31.1%) and macroscopic observation (21.3%). Although a number of novel findings were reported, most were of preliminary nature and will require further validation. In order to reach breakthroughs and validate novel tools for routine use, more research input is urged from researchers across the world. It would be necessary to ensure appropriate sample sizes and make use of control groups.

Collapse-related traumatic intracranial hemorrhage following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A multicenter retrospective cohort study

BackgroundSudden loss of consciousness as a result of cardiac arrest can cause severe traumatic head injury. Collapse-related traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (CRTIH) following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may be linked to poor neurological outcomes; however, there is a paucity of data on this entity. This study aimed to investigate the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of CRTIH following OHCA. MethodsAdult patients treated post-OHCA at 5 intensive care units who had head computed tomography (CT) scans were included in the study. CRTIH following OHCA was defined as a traumatic intracranial injury from collapse due to sudden loss of consciousness associated with OHCA. Patients with and without CRTIH were compared. The primary outcome assessed was the frequency of CRTIH following OHCA. Additionally, the clinical features, management, and consequences of CRTIH were analyzed descriptively. ResultsCRTIH following OHCA was observed in 8 of 345 enrolled patients (2.3%). CRTIH was more frequent after collapse outside the home, from a standing position, or due to cardiac arrest with a cardiac etiology. Intracranial hematoma expansion on follow up CT was seen in 2 patients; both received anticoagulant therapy, and one required surgical evacuation. Three patients (37.5%) with CRTIH had favorable neurological outcomes 28 days after collapse. ConclusionsDespite its rare occurrence, physicians should pay special attention to CRTIH following OHCA during the post-resuscitation care period. Larger prospective studies are warranted to provide a more explicit picture of this clinical condition.

The establishment and validation of a prediction model for traumatic intracranial injury patients: a reliable nomogram.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to death and disability. This study developed an effective prognostic nomogram for assessing the risk factors for TBI mortality. Data were extracted from an online database called "Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care IV" (MIMIC IV). The ICD code obtained data from 2,551 TBI persons (first ICU stay, >18 years old) from this database. R divided samples into 7:3 training and testing cohorts. The univariate analysis determined whether the two cohorts differed statistically in baseline data. This research used forward stepwise logistic regression after independent prognostic factors for these TBI patients. The optimal variables were selected for the model by the optimal subset method. The optimal feature subsets in pattern recognition improved the model prediction, and the minimum BIC forest of the high-dimensional mixed graph model achieved a better prediction effect. A nomogram-labeled TBI-IHM model containing these risk factors was made by nomology in State software. Least Squares OLS was used to build linear models, and then the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted. The TBI-IHM nomogram model's validity was determined by receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), correction curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and decision-curve analysis (DCA). The eight features with a minimal BIC model were mannitol use, mechanical ventilation, vasopressor use, international normalized ratio, urea nitrogen, respiratory rate, and cerebrovascular disease. The proposed nomogram (TBI-IHM model) was the best mortality prediction model, with better discrimination and superior model fitting for severely ill TBI patients staying in ICU. The model's receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was the best compared to the seven other models. It might be clinically helpful for doctors to make clinical decisions. The proposed nomogram (TBI-IHM model) has significant potential as a clinical utility in predicting mortality in TBI patients.

Conventional MR Imaging in Trauma Management in Adults.

MR imaging has been shown to have higher sensitivity than computed tomography (CT) for traumatic intracranial soft tissue injuries as well as most cases of intracranial hemorrhage, thus making it a significant adjunct to CT in the management of traumatic brain injury, mostly in the subacute to chronic phase, but may also be of use in the acute phase, when there are persistent neurologic symptoms unexplained by prior imaging.

Biomarker S100B in plasma a screening tool for mild traumatic brain injury in an emergency department

ABSTRACT Introduction A computerized tomography (CT) scan is an effective test for detecting traumatic intracranial findings after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, a head CT is costly, and can only be performed in a hospital. Objective To determine if the addition of plasma S100B to clinical guidelines could lead to a more selective scanning strategy without compromising safety. Methods We conducted a single center prospective cohort study at the emergency department. Patients (≥16 years) who received head CT and had a blood draw were included. The primary outcome was the accuracy of plasma S100B to predict the presence of any traumatic intracranial lesion on head CT. Results We included 495 patients, out of the 74 patients who had traumatic intracranial lesions, 5 patients had a plasma S100B level below the cutoff value of 0.105 ug/L. For the detection of traumatic intracranial injury, S100B had a sensitivity of 0.932 , a specificity of 0.157, a negative predictive value of 0.930, and a positive predictive value of 0.163. Conclusions Among patients undergoing guideline-based CT scan for mTBI, the use of S100B, would results in a further decrease (14.8%) of CT scans but at a cost of missed injury, without clinical consequence, on CT.

Initial experience with Pipeline embolization of intracranial pseudoaneurysms in pediatric patients.

Flow-diverting devices have been used successfully for the treatment of complex intracranial vascular injuries in adults, but the role of these devices in treating iatrogenic and traumatic intracranial vascular injuries in children remains unclear. The authors present their experience using the Pipeline embolization device (PED) for treating intracranial pseudoaneurysms in children. This single-center retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients with traumatic and iatrogenic injuries to the intracranial vasculature that were treated with the PED between 2015 and 2021. Demographic data, indications for treatment, the number and sizes of PEDs used, follow-up imaging, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Six patients with a median age of 12 years (range 7-16 years) underwent PED placement to treat intracranial pseudoaneurysms. There were 3 patients with hemorrhagic presentation, 2 with ischemia, and 1 in whom a growing pseudoaneurysm was found on angiography. Injured vessels included the anterior cerebral artery (n = 2), the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA, n = 2), the cavernous ICA (n = 1), and the distal cervical ICA (n = 1). All 6 pseudoaneurysms were successfully treated with PED deployment. One patient required re-treatment with a second PED within a week because of concern for a growing pseudoaneurysm. One patient experienced parent vessel occlusion without neurological sequelae. Use of the PED is feasible for the management of iatrogenic and traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the intracranial vasculature in children, even in the setting of hemorrhagic presentation.

Functional outcome at 6 months of surgical traumatic brain injury: A single Caribbean Center pilot study

Background. This is the first prospective study that evaluates the functional outcome after a surgical procedure secondary to a traumatic brain injury, in a single center, in Dominican Republic.Aim. To determine the functional status of surgically treated patients 6 months post-trauma, the relative risk of poor prognosis and association of functional status with the predictive variables of the International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in traumatic brain injury.Materials and methods. A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted in a cohort of 22 patients surgically treated for a traumatic intracranial injury at Dr. Ney Arias Lora Traumatology Hospital in Dominican Republic. We applied the International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials calculator, (pupillary response, hemoglobin, hypoxia, age, motor response, computed tomography lesion, hypotension, etc.) prior to surgery and the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale 6 month after surgery to determine the functional outcome. The International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials form was modified by adding preoperative glucocorticosteroids and rehabilitation therapy. The SPSS database (15.0 version, Chicago Il.) was used. Central tendency measures and Fisher's test were applied. Thus, p ≤0.05 with a 95 % confidence interval was considered statistically significant.Results. The predictive variables associated with a poor prognosis were motor response (p = 0.01), hypoxia and hypotension (p = 0.05). Alterations in motor response was associated with increased morbidity and mortality (RR: 10; 95 % CI: 3-22). Normal flexion was found in all patients with good recovery (p = 0.04).Conclusion. As a result, 67 % of patients had a good functional result (moderate disability and good recovery). Mortality was 23 %. Preoperative motor response is a powerful prognostic factor in traumatic brain injury.

S1319 Etiologies for In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Compensated and Decompensated Hepatic Cirrhosis

Introduction: Cirrhosis is the end-stage of chronic liver disease and is generally associated with poor outcome, increased hospitalizations, and mortality. The occurrence of decompensated cirrhosis further markedly increases mortality. Knowledge regarding the causes of mortality and hospitalization can help risk stratify hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Methods: Using the US Nationwide readmissions database 2014, we identified hospitalized patients who had cirrhosis and died during their hospitalization. In this cohort, we identified rates of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic complications and etiologies for hospitalization. Causes of death were identified by the primary discharge diagnosis. Decompensated cirrhosis was defined as the presence of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), ascites, jaundice, variceal bleeding (VB), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Appropriate ICD-9 codes were used to identify all diagnoses and procedures. Results: We studied 291,368 patients with cirrhosis of whom 38,394 patients (13.2%) died in-hospital. Around 19% of patients who had decompensation (53% of all patients) and 6.7% of patients who had compensated cirrhosis (47%) died during a hospitalization. Decompensated cirrhosis was present in 76.1% (N=29,212) of patients with mortality. Ascites was present in 50.3%, HE in 32.1%, VB in 23.2%, HRS in 19.4%, SBP in 9.1%, jaundice in 5.6% and HCC in 8.7%. In the overall cohort, the most common causes of death were sepsis (31.2%) followed by decompensated cirrhosis (13.6%), viral hepatitis (3.9%), respiratory failure (3.8%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (non-variceal) (3.8%). In patients with compensated cirrhosis, major causes of death were sepsis (33.8%), respiratory failure (6.3%), stroke (5.1%), congestive heart failure (3.4%), and traumatic intracranial injury (3.3%). When decompensation was present, major causes of death were sepsis (30.4%), decompensated cirrhosis (17.9%), gastrointestinal bleeding (4.6%), viral hepatitis (4.5%), and respiratory failure (3.1%). Conclusion: In the US, 1 in 7 hospitalized patients with cirrhosis, 1 in 5 with decompensated cirrhosis, and 1 in 14 with compensated cirrhosis had in-hospital mortality. Sepsis is the most common cause of death (1/3rd) in cirrhotic patients, in both compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. These data can help risk stratify and improve management strategies of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis.

Endoscopic Removal of Acute Traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT Nowadays surgical treatment of patients with traumatic intracranial hematoma (TICH) and injuries of the brain is a very actual problem in neurosurgery.The purpose of this work was to assess of the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive endoscopic removal of TICH.MATERIAL AND METHODS In the period of 2010–2019, 2734 operations were performed on patients with traumatic brain injury in the Sklifosovsky Research Institute. There were 334 patients with TICH and the CC/BC foci, that made 12.2% of all patients. The median of hematoma volume, that did not cause a loss of consciousness was 48 cm2, and in most of the patients the hematoma volume ranged 30–35 cm2. Local fibrinolysis of TICH was performed in 14 patients with the hematoma volume of 30–50 cm2 without brain dislocation and not causing the consciousness depression more severe than sopor.Endoscopic removal of TICH was performed in 4 men at mean age of 54.8 years within 18–36 hours after trauma. Three patients had depression of consciousness to obtundation (14 by Glasgow Outcome Scale (GCS)), and one patient was in clear consciousness. The volume of the dense part of the contusion foci in the pole-basal regions of the frontal and temporal lobes was 24–40 cm3.RESULTS Among patients with TICH operated on by using the traditional technique, postoperative lethality was 13%, good outcomes were seen in 41%, and 46% had neurological disorders of varying severity. While treating the patients with TICH by using the local fibrinolysis method, 1 patient died after surgery, a good outcome was seen in 8 of 14 patients, and neurological disorders persisted in 3 patients in the postoperative period.Radicality of surgery in patients operated on by using endoscopic technique averaged 76% ranging from 41% to 91%. There were no complications during surgery nor in post-operative period. Patients were discharged from hospital after 8-21 days.

Measures of Intracranial Injury Size Do Not Improve Clinical Decision Making for Children With Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Intracranial Injuries.

When evaluating children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) and intracranial injuries (ICIs), neurosurgeons intuitively consider injury size. However, the extent to which such measures (eg, hematoma size) improve risk prediction compared with the kids intracranial injury decision support tool for traumatic brain injury (KIIDS-TBI) model, which only includes the presence/absence of imaging findings, remains unknown. To determine the extent to which measures of injury size improve risk prediction for children with mild traumatic brain injuries and ICIs. We included children ≤18 years who presented to 1 of the 5 centers within 24 hours of TBI, had Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 13 to 15, and had ICI on neuroimaging. The data set was split into training (n = 1126) and testing (n = 374) cohorts. We used generalized linear modeling (GLM) and recursive partitioning (RP) to predict the composite of neurosurgery, intubation >24 hours, or death because of TBI. Each model's sensitivity/specificity was compared with the validated KIIDS-TBI model across 3 decision-making risk cutoffs (<1%, <3%, and <5% predicted risk). The GLM and RP models included similar imaging variables (eg, epidural hematoma size) while the GLM model incorporated additional clinical predictors (eg, Glasgow Coma Scale score). The GLM (76%-90%) and RP (79%-87%) models showed similar specificity across all risk cutoffs, but the GLM model had higher sensitivity (89%-96% for GLM; 89% for RP). By comparison, the KIIDS-TBI model had slightly higher sensitivity (93%-100%) but lower specificity (27%-82%). Although measures of ICI size have clear intuitive value, the tradeoff between higher specificity and lower sensitivity does not support the addition of such information to the KIIDS-TBI model.

129 Development and External Validation of the KIIDS-TBI Tool for Managing Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Intracranial Injuries

INTRODUCTION: Clinical decision support may improve the post-neuroimaging management of children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) and intracranial injuries. While the CHIIDA score has been proposed for this purpose, a more sensitive risk model may have broader use. METHODS: We analyzed children &lt;18 years-old with mTBI and intracranial injuries included in the PECARN head injury dataset (2004-2006). We used binary recursive partitioning to predict the composite outcome of neurosurgical intervention, intubation for &gt;24 hours due to TBI, or death due to TBI. The new model, the KIIDS-TBI model, was externally validated in a separate dataset that included children treated between 2006-2019 at one of six centers participating in the pediatric TBI Research Consortium (PTRC). RESULTS: There were 839 children included in the derivation (PECARN) and 1,630 in the validation (PTRC) datasets. Derived using the PECARN dataset, the KIIDS-TBI model incorporated imaging (e.g. midline shift) and clinical (e.g. GCS score) findings. Based on the model-predicted probability of the composite outcome, three cutoffs were evaluated in the external validation (PTRC) dataset to classify patients as ‘high risk.' The most conservative cutoff (i.e. any predictor present) identified 119/119 children with the composite outcome (sensitivity 100%), but had the lowest specificity (26.3%). The other two cutoffs had worse sensitivity (94.1%-96.6%) but improved specificity (67.4%-81.3%). The CHIIDA model lacked the most conservative cutoff and otherwise showed the same or slightly worse performance compared to the other two cutoffs. CONCLUSION: The KIIDS-TBI model has high sensitivity and moderate specificity for risk-stratifying children with mTBI and intracranial injuries. Use of this clinical decision support tool may help improve the safe, resource-efficient management of this important patient population.

199 Electronic Clinical Decision Support for Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Intracranial Injuries: A Sociotechnical Analysis

INTRODUCTION: The management of children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) and intracranial injuries is not evidence-based and may place some children at risk of harm. Evidence-based electronic clinical decision support (CDS) may improve patient safety and decrease resource use. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative focus group interviews to identify sociotechnical influences on CDS implementation. Physicians from neurosurgery, emergency medicine, critical care, and pediatric general surgery were included, along with information technology specialists. Participants were recruited from nine hospitals in the United States. Focus group transcripts were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. The final themes were cross-referenced with previously defined sociotechnical dimensions. RESULTS: We included 28 physicians and four information technology specialists in seven focus groups. Ten participants had administrative leadership positions, and the largest group (34%) was from neurosurgery. Through inductive thematic analysis, we identified five primary themes: 1) clinical impact; 2) stakeholders and users; 3) tool content; 4) clinical practice integration; and 5) post-implementation evaluation measures. Participants generally supported using CDS to determine an appropriate level-of-care for these children, and also noted potential secondary uses (e.g., informing family discussions). However, some also identified potential harm that could result from misuse (e.g., conflict across specialties). Feedback from the interviews helped refine the tool content, highlight potential implementation barriers, and identify appropriate measures to evaluate after implementation. CONCLUSION: We identified key factors impacting the implementation of electronic CDS for children with mTBI and intracranial injuries, providing a strong foundation for prospective implementation efforts.

Usability and Acceptability of Clinical Decision Support Based on the KIIDS-TBI Tool for Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Intracranial Injuries.

The Kids Intracranial Injury Decision Support tool for Traumatic Brain Injury (KIIDS-TBI) tool is a validated risk prediction model for managing children with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) and intracranial injuries. Electronic clinical decision support (CDS) may facilitate the clinical implementation of this evidence-based guidance. Our objective was to evaluate the acceptability and usability of an electronic CDS tool for managing children with mTBI and intracranial injuries. Emergency medicine and neurosurgery physicians (10 each) from 10 hospitals in the United States were recruited to participate in usability testing of a novel CDS prototype in a simulated electronic health record environment. Testing included a think-aloud protocol, an acceptability and usability survey, and a semi-structured interview. The prototype was updated twice during testing to reflect user feedback. Usability problems recorded in the videos were categorized using content analysis. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Among the 20 participants, most worked at teaching hospitals (80%), freestanding children's hospitals (95%), and level-1 trauma centers (75%). During the two prototype updates, problems with clarity of terminology and navigating through the CDS interface were identified and corrected. Corresponding to these changes, the number of usability problems decreased from 35 in phase 1 to 8 in phase 3 and the number of mistakes made decreased from 18 (phase 1) to 2 (phase 3). Through the survey, participants found the tool easy to use (90%), useful for determining a patient's level of care (95%), and likely to improve resource use (90%) and patient safety (79%). Interview themes related to the CDS's ability to support evidence-based decision-making and improve clinical workflow proposed implementation strategies and potential pitfalls. After iterative evaluation and refinement, the KIIDS-TBI CDS tool was found to be highly usable and useful for aiding the management of children with mTBI and intracranial injuries.