Background: Diffuse axonal injury (DAI), a feature seen in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Although blood pressure variability (BPV) has been shown to impact TBI outcomes overall, its relevance in DAI cases remains uncertain. We investigated whether 24-hour post-injury BPV and other clinical factors were linked to patient outcomes.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Level I trauma center-admitted TBI patients with radiographic DAI diagnosis (computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging). Hospital disposition (home, nursing facility, hospice/death) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on hospital day 5 (HD5GCS) were outcomes of interest. We assessed associations with clinical factors using ordinal logistic regression.
Results: Among 153 patients (mean age 49 ± 20 years, 74% male), median admission GCS was 5.0 (3.0-12.5), HD5GCS was 8.0 (6.0-11), and median hospital stay was 25 (15.5-34.5) days. The BPV, measured as successive variation in systolic blood pressure (SBPSV) and standard deviation in systolic blood pressure (SBPSD), was not significantly associated with hospital disposition. SBPSV and SBPSD were also not associated with our secondary outcome of HD5GCS. Initial international normalized ratio (INR) (Coefficient -3.67, odds ratio [OR] 0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.00-0.70), cerebral contusion (Coeff -2.39, OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.75), and HD5GCS (Coeff 0.59, OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.30-2.49) were associated with increased odds of discharge to hospice or death. Administration of blood products (Coeff 1.06, OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.10-7.60), vasopressors (Coeff 1.40, OR 4.05, 95% CI 1.37-11.96), and hyperosmolar therapy (Coeff 1.23, OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.36-8.54), and concurrent intraventricular hemorrhage (Coeff 0.99, OR 2.70, 95% CI 0.86-6.49) were linked to poorer HD5GCS.
Conclusion: Blood pressure variability was not correlated with outcomes in patients with diffuse axonal injury. Low Glasgow Coma Score on hospital day 5, high initial INR, and concomitant cerebral contusion were associated with poorer outcomes.
