Tomographic index (ONSD/ETD) as a predictor of short-term neurological outcome in children with severe traumatic brain injury: A single-center retrospective observational study from Mexico

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a prevalent condition in the pediatric population. An index between the diameter of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and the transverse eyeball transverse diameter (ETD) measured in the tomographic scan has been described in adults, with a cutoff value of ≥0.25 for predicting poor neurologic prognoses. This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between the index ONSD/ETD with the neurological outcome in children with severe TBI. This was single-center, retrospective study, conducted from March 2021 to November 2022. Patients older than 30 days and up to 16 years of age admitted with severe TBI were included in the study. Measurements of the ONSD/ETD index by cranial tomography were calculated. The population was divided into two groups, one with index ≥0.25 and other with index <0.25. Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) and outcome were compared between groups. Thirty patients were recruited. Patients with inde × 0.25 or higher had a lower GOSE (60% (1–2 points) vs. 60% (7–8 points)), more days of mechanical ventilation (MV) (8 days, interquartile range IQR 5–17 days vs. 3 days, IQR 2–4 days P = 0.005), and more length of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay (12 days, IQR 9–23 days vs. 5 days, IQR 4–8 days P = 0.007) than patients with index <0.25. The ONSD/ETD index was a reliable indicator for predicting the neurological outcome of patients with severe TBI. An index ≥0.25 was associated with more days of PICU stay and MV with worse neurological outcomes.