Neurocritical Care最新文献

In the management of traumatic brain injury (TBI), intracranial pressure monitoring (ICPm) is crucial for the timely management of severe cases that show rapid neurological deterioration. External ventricular drains (EVDs) and intraparenchymal pressure monitors (IPMs) are the primary methods used in this setting; however, the debate over their comparative efficacy persists, primarily because of reliance on observational study data. This underscores the need for a meta-analysis to guide clinical decision-making. This study-level meta-analysis aims to assess and compare the efficacy and safety of EVDs versus IPMs in the management of TBI. A database search was conducted until February 13, 2024, to identify studies reporting clinical outcomes of patients with TBI who underwent ICPm with either EVD or IPM. Primary outcomes included mortality, ICPm duration, length of stay, and complications. From an initial pool of 537 articles, eight studies (six retrospective cohort studies and two prospective cohort studies), encompassing 7080 patients, met our inclusion criteria. Mortality rates showed no significant difference between groups (risk ratio 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86 to 1.42], p = 0.42). Patients monitored with IPM had shorter intensive care unit length of stay (mean difference 0.90 [95% CI 0.21 to 1.59], p = 0.01) and ICPm duration (mean difference 0.79 [95% CI 0.33 to 1.24], p = 0.0007), with a higher risk of requiring surgical decompression. Monitoring-related complications were similar across the two groups. Our findings suggest that EVD and IPM provide similar outcomes in terms of mortality. However, IPM may offer significant advantages in reducing the duration of ICPm and intensive care unit length of stay. EVD may be preferable for certain mid-term to long-term monitoring. The predominance of observational studies in the current literature highlights the need for further clinical trials to compare these interventions.

Background: We aimed to investigate the associations of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLR2/4), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) with 3-month poor outcome, death, and malignant cerebral edema (MCE) in patients with large hemispheric infarction (LHI).

Methods: Patients with LHI within 24 h of onset were enrolled consecutively. Serum MIF, TLR2/4, and MMP9 concentrations on admission were measured. Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≥ 3 at 3 months. MCE was defined as a decreased level of consciousness, anisocoria and midline shift > 5 mm or basal cistern effacement, or indications for decompressive craniectomy during hospitalization. The cutoff values for MIF/MMP9 were obtained from the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results: Of the 130 patients with LHI enrolled, 90 patients (69.2%) had 3-month poor outcome, and MCE occurred in 55 patients (42.3%). Patients with serum MIF concentrations ≤ 7.82 ng/mL for predicting 3-month poor outcome [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.827, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.144-6.990, p = 0.024] also distinguished death (adjusted OR 4.329, 95% CI 1.841-10.178, p = 0.001). Similarly, MMP9 concentrations ≤ 46.56 ng/mL for predicting 3-month poor outcome (adjusted OR 2.814, 95% CI 1.236-6.406, p = 0.014) also distinguished 3-month death (adjusted OR 3.845, 95% CI 1.534-9.637, p = 0.004).

Conclusions: Lower serum MIF and MMP9 concentrations at an early stage were independently associated with 3-month poor outcomes and death in patients with LHI. These findings need further confirmation in larger sample studies.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents a major global health challenge, with rising incidence rates and substantial disability. Although progress has been made in understanding SCI's pathophysiology and early management, there is still a lack of effective treatments to mitigate long-term consequences. This study investigates the potential of sovateltide, a selective endothelin B receptor agonist, in improving clinical outcomes in an acute SCI rat model.

Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham surgery (group A) or SCI and treated with vehicle (group B) or sovateltide (group C). Clinical tests, including Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scoring, inclined plane, and allodynia testing with von Frey hair, were performed at various time points. Statistical analyses assessed treatment effects.

Results: Sovateltide administration significantly improved motor function, reducing neurological deficits and enhancing locomotor recovery compared with vehicle-treated rats, starting from day 7 post injury. Additionally, the allodynic threshold improved, suggesting antinociceptive properties. Notably, the sovateltide group demonstrated sustained recovery, and even reached preinjury performance levels, whereas the vehicle group plateaued.

Conclusions: This study suggests that sovateltide may offer neuroprotective effects, enhancing neurogenesis and angiogenesis. Furthermore, it may possess anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. Future clinical trials are needed to validate these findings, but sovateltide shows promise as a potential therapeutic strategy to improve functional outcomes in SCI. Sovateltide, an endothelin B receptor agonist, exhibits neuroprotective properties, enhancing motor recovery and ameliorating hyperalgesia in a rat SCI model. These findings could pave the way for innovative pharmacological interventions for SCI in clinical settings.

Background: In the population of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), most studies compared the use of atypical antipsychotics, such as quetiapine, with the use of traditional haloperidol in patients with delirium of various forms and etiologies. The role of such agents in patients with hyperactive delirium is not fully understood. This study compares the effectiveness of quetiapine with haloperidol in treating the hyperactive form of delirium in terms of their effects on the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98), length of stay in the ICU, and mortality in critically ill patients.

Methods: One hundred adult patients diagnosed with hyperactive delirium were randomly assigned to receive either oral quetiapine (25-50 mg/day) or haloperidol (1-2 mg/day). The response, defined as "a DRS-R-98 severity score reduction from baseline of 50% or more" and a DRS-R-98 severity score of 12 or less without relapse, was the primary outcome.

Results: The mean age of all patients was 68 ± 6 years. The study population's overall response rate was 92%. Response rates for the two groups were remarkably equal (p = 0.609). Secondary outcomes were comparable in both groups, such as ICU mortality (p = 0.496), in-hospital mortality (p = 0.321), in-hospital stay (p = 0.310), and the need for mechanical ventilation (p > 0.99). But the quetiapine group showed a statistically reduced mean ICU stay (10.1 ± 2.0 vs. 11.7 ± 2.6 days, p = 0.018) and increased sleeping hours per night (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Quetiapine may be equally as effective as haloperidol in treating the symptoms of hyperactive delirium in critically ill patients, with no mortality benefit.

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been suggested as a treatment option for refractory status epilepticus (RSE) and super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE).

Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to conduct an extensive literature review on the role of ECT as a treatment option for RSE and SRSE.

Methods: We searched Ovid MEDLINE and Scopus for journal articles from database inception until February 2024. Articles were then selected based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results: We identified five retrospective case series with 28 adult patients receiving ECT for RSE or SRSE. ECT was administered within 3-70 days (mean 20 days) after the development of SE, and the mean number of ECT courses ranged from 1 to 12 sessions for each patient. ECT was administered in fixed or titrated doses. A total of 20 out of 28 patients (71%) showed clinical improvement, with two (7%) having complete cessation of seizures. It is essential to note that given the lack of control, there could be overreporting of clinical improvement in these studies. 11 patients (39%) were reported as deceased due to causes that were not directly related to ECT treatment. Four patients (14%) reported adverse effects of ECT, including memory, concentration, and/or cognitive impairment.

Conclusions: There are level-4 Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine evidence and low-level Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Education evidence that suggest ECT as a treatment option for RSE and SRSE. In light of the limitations of the existing evidence, clinicians should carefully consider individual patients' clinical contexts when deciding on the appropriateness of ECT as a treatment option. Further research, including prospective studies with controlled designs, is needed to elucidate the efficacy, safety, and optimal regime of ECT in the management of RSE and SRSE.

There is an urgent unmet need for a reliable noninvasive tool to detect elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) above guideline-recommended thresholds for treatment. Gold standard invasive ICP monitoring is unavailable in many settings, including resource-limited environments, and in situations such as liver failure in which coagulopathy increases the risk of invasive monitoring. Although a large number of noninvasive techniques have been evaluated, this article reviews the potential clinical role, if any, of the techniques that have undergone the most extensive evaluation and are already in clinical use. Elevations in ICP transmitted through the subarachnoid space result in distension of the optic nerve sheath. The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) can be measured with ultrasound, and an ONSD threshold can be used to detect elevated ICP. Although many studies suggest this technique accurately detects elevated ICP, there is concern for risk of bias and variations in ONSD thresholds across studies that preclude routine use of this technique in clinical practice. Multiple transcranial Doppler techniques have been used to assess ICP, but the best studied are the pulsatility index and the Czosnyka method to estimate cerebral perfusion pressure and ICP. Although there is inconsistency in the literature, recent prospective studies, including an international multicenter study, suggest the estimated ICP technique has a high negative predictive value (> 95%) but a poor positive predictive value (≤ 30%). Quantitative pupillometry is a sensitive and objective method to assess pupillary size and reactivity. Proprietary indices have been developed to quantify the pupillary light response. Limited data suggest these quantitative measurements may be useful for the early detection of ICP elevation. No current noninvasive technology can replace invasive ICP monitoring. Where ICP monitoring is unavailable, multimodal noninvasive assessment may be useful. Further innovation and research are required to develop a reliable, continuous technique of noninvasive ICP assessment.