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Contusion expansion, low platelet count and bifrontal contusions are associated with worse patient outcome following traumatic brain injury—a retrospective single-center study

Andersson, Alice S. ; Hossain, Iftakher and Marklund, Niklas LU orcid (2024) In Acta Neurochirurgica 166(1).
Abstract

Background: Cortical contusions are common in moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cortical contusions often expand, potentially causing neuro-worsening several hours to days post-trauma. While contusion expansion (CE) may affect outcome, potential clinical and radiological markers that can predict CE have been insufficiently explored. In the present single-center retrospective observational cohort study, we evaluated clinical outcome by the Glasgow Outcome Scale extended (GOSE) scale and evaluated risk factor for CE. Method: Adult TBI patients > 18 years of age, and of all injury severities, were included. Main variables of interest were low platelet count, defined as < 150 × 109/L, presence of bifrontal... (More)

Background: Cortical contusions are common in moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cortical contusions often expand, potentially causing neuro-worsening several hours to days post-trauma. While contusion expansion (CE) may affect outcome, potential clinical and radiological markers that can predict CE have been insufficiently explored. In the present single-center retrospective observational cohort study, we evaluated clinical outcome by the Glasgow Outcome Scale extended (GOSE) scale and evaluated risk factor for CE. Method: Adult TBI patients > 18 years of age, and of all injury severities, were included. Main variables of interest were low platelet count, defined as < 150 × 109/L, presence of bifrontal contusions and CE, defined as absolute contusion volume increase in cm3. Factors associated with CE and clinical outcome according to GOSE were analyzed. Results: Between 2012–2022, 272 patients were included. Contusion size on admission correlated positively with CE, as did the Marshall and Rotterdam radiological classification scores. Bifrontal contusions were significantly larger at admission, experienced larger CE, and had a worse outcome than contusions in other locations. Patients with a platelet count < 150 × 109/L experienced a greater volume CE and had a worse outcome when compared to patients with a normal platelet count. In a multivariate analysis, CE remained significantly associated with a poor outcome six months post- injury. Conclusion: Contusion volume at admission, Marshall CT classification and Rotterdam CT score, positively correlated to CE. Bifrontal contusions and a platelet count < 150 × 109/L were associated with CE, and a poor clinical outcome. Large CE volumes were associated with a worse clinical outcome, and CE was per se associated with outcome in a multivariate analysis. Management of these risk factors for CE in the acute post-injury setting may be needed to attenuate contusion expansion and to improve clinical outcome in TBI patients suffering from cortical contusion injuries.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bifrontal contusions, Cerebral contusions, Coagulopathy, Contusion expansion, Outcome, Traumatic brain injury
in
Acta Neurochirurgica
volume
166
issue
1
article number
377
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85204869745
  • pmid:39316131
ISSN
0001-6268
DOI
10.1007/s00701-024-06269-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a5efba63-841f-44d0-b12c-a6afb8ed06c5
date added to LUP
2025-01-07 13:13:07
date last changed
2025-07-09 04:42:55
@article{a5efba63-841f-44d0-b12c-a6afb8ed06c5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Cortical contusions are common in moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cortical contusions often expand, potentially causing neuro-worsening several hours to days post-trauma. While contusion expansion (CE) may affect outcome, potential clinical and radiological markers that can predict CE have been insufficiently explored. In the present single-center retrospective observational cohort study, we evaluated clinical outcome by the Glasgow Outcome Scale extended (GOSE) scale and evaluated risk factor for CE. Method: Adult TBI patients &gt; 18 years of age, and of all injury severities, were included. Main variables of interest were low platelet count, defined as &lt; 150 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L, presence of bifrontal contusions and CE, defined as absolute contusion volume increase in cm<sup>3</sup>. Factors associated with CE and clinical outcome according to GOSE were analyzed. Results: Between 2012–2022, 272 patients were included. Contusion size on admission correlated positively with CE, as did the Marshall and Rotterdam radiological classification scores. Bifrontal contusions were significantly larger at admission, experienced larger CE, and had a worse outcome than contusions in other locations. Patients with a platelet count &lt; 150 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L experienced a greater volume CE and had a worse outcome when compared to patients with a normal platelet count. In a multivariate analysis, CE remained significantly associated with a poor outcome six months post- injury. Conclusion: Contusion volume at admission, Marshall CT classification and Rotterdam CT score, positively correlated to CE. Bifrontal contusions and a platelet count &lt; 150 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L were associated with CE, and a poor clinical outcome. Large CE volumes were associated with a worse clinical outcome, and CE was per se associated with outcome in a multivariate analysis. Management of these risk factors for CE in the acute post-injury setting may be needed to attenuate contusion expansion and to improve clinical outcome in TBI patients suffering from cortical contusion injuries.</p>}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Alice S. and Hossain, Iftakher and Marklund, Niklas}},
  issn         = {{0001-6268}},
  keywords     = {{Bifrontal contusions; Cerebral contusions; Coagulopathy; Contusion expansion; Outcome; Traumatic brain injury}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Acta Neurochirurgica}},
  title        = {{Contusion expansion, low platelet count and bifrontal contusions are associated with worse patient outcome following traumatic brain injury—a retrospective single-center study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00701-024-06269-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00701-024-06269-7}},
  volume       = {{166}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}