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Brain tissue oxygen tension monitoring in pediatric severe traumatic brain injury

Part 2: Relationship with clinical, physiological, and treatment factors

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Abstract

Introduction

Brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) monitoring is used increasingly in adult severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) management. Several factors are known to influence PbtO2 in adults, but the variables that affect PbtO2 in pediatric TBI are not well described. This study examines the relationships between PbtO2 and (1) physiological markers of potential secondary insults commonly used in pediatric TBI, in particular intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and systemic hypoxia, and (2) other clinical factors and treatment received that may influence PbtO2.

Materials and methods

In this prospective observational study, 52 children (mean age, 6.5 ± 3.4 years; range, 9 months to 14 years old) with severe TBI and a median post-resuscitation Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 5 were managed with continuous PbtO2 monitoring. The relationships between PbtO2 parameters (\({\text{PbtO}}_{2_{{\text{low}}} } \), PbtO2 < 5, PbtO2 < 10, and \({\text{mPbtO}}_{2_{{\text{24}}} } \)) and clinical, physiological, and treatment factors were explored using time-linked data and Spearman’s correlation coefficients.

Results

No clinical, physiological, or treatment variable was significantly associated with all PbtO2 parameters, but individual associations were found with initial GCS (PbtO2 < 5, p = 0.0113), admission Pediatric Trauma Score (PbtO2 < 10, 0.0175), mICP > 20 (\({\text{mPbtO}}_{2_{{\text{24}}} } \), p = 0.0377), CPPlow (\({\text{PbtO}}_{2_{{\text{low}}} } \), p = 0.0065), CPP < 40 (\({\text{PbtO}}_{2_{{\text{low}}} } \), p = 0.0269; PbtO2 < 5, p = 0.0212), PaO2 < 60 (\({\text{mPbtO}}_{2_{{\text{24}}} } \), p = 0.0037), SaO2 < 90 (\({\text{PbtO}}_{2_{{\text{low}}} } \), p = 0.0438), and use of inotropes during ICU care (\({\text{PbtO}}_{2_{{\text{low}}} } \), p = 0.0276; PbtO2 < 10, p = 0.0277; p = \({\text{mPbtO}}_{2_{{\text{24}}} } \)).

Conclusion

Delivery of oxygen to the brain is important to limit secondary neuronal injury after severe TBI. Our data show that PbtO2 is poorly predicted by clinical and physiological factors commonly measured in the pediatric ICU. Multimodality monitoring may be needed to detect all secondary cerebral insults in pediatric TBI.

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Acknowledgments

Dr Figaji has received a grant from the South African-Swedish Links Programme (SIDA, National Research Foundation). Drs Figaji and Le Roux have also received a grant from the Integra Foundation for the study of cerebral perfusion pressure thresholds in children.

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Figaji, A.A., Zwane, E., Thompson, C. et al. Brain tissue oxygen tension monitoring in pediatric severe traumatic brain injury. Childs Nerv Syst 25, 1335–1343 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-009-0821-y

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