Major trauma can result in both life-threatening haemorrhage and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The pre-hospital management of these conditions, particularly in relation to the cardiovascular system, is very different. TBI can result in cardiovascular instability but the exact incidence remains poorly described. This study explores the incidence of cardiovascular instability in patients undergoing pre-hospital anaesthesia for suspected TBI.
Retrospective case series of all pre-hospital trauma patients attended by Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust (United Kingdom) trauma team during the period 1 January 2015-31 December 2016. Patients were included if they showed clinical signs of TBI, underwent pre-hospital anaesthesia and hospital computed tomography scanning subsequently confirmed an isolated TBI.
Out of 121 patients with confirmed isolated TBI, 68 were cardiovascularly stable throughout the pre-anaesthesia phase, whilst 53 (44%) showed signs of instability (HR > 100bpm and/or SBP < 100 mmHg pre-anaesthesia). Hypotension (SBP < 100) with or without tachycardia was present in 14 (12%) patients. 10 (8%) patients with isolated TBI received pre-hospital blood product transfusion.
Increased awareness that traumatic brain injury can cause significant derangement to heart rate and blood pressure, even in the absence of major haemorrhage, would allow the pre-hospital clinician to treat cardiovascular instability with the most appropriate means, such as crystalloid and vasopressors, to limit secondary brain injury.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
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Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
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Other
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Unknown
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Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 52. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 11 May 2023.
All research outputs
#1,031,271
of 34,347,181 outputs
Outputs from Injury
#86
of 4,336 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#17,414
of 370,838 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Injury
#3
of 57 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,347,181 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 96th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 4,336 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.8. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 57 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its contemporaries.
