老年轻型颅脑损伤危险因素的Logistic回归分析

目的 探讨老年人轻型颅脑损伤的危险因素,为老年轻型颅脑损伤患者的诊治提供参考依据.方法 回顾性研究231例老年轻型颅脑损伤患者的临床症状、体征和CT检查,对其临床表现和颅脑CT检查结果进行χ2检验和Logistic回归分析.结果 经SPSS12.0统计软件进行非条件Logistic回归分析,最终进入模型的变量有四项,其中意识障碍的Wald值是24.621,P=0 00;呕吐Wald值是15.727,P=0.00:神经病学阳性体征Wald值是8.001,P<0.01;GCS Wald值是4 920,P<0.05.结论 引起老年轻型颅脑损伤的危险因素是意识障碍、呕吐、神经系统阳性体征及GCS.将这些危险因素作为一项参考指标,对临床判断老年轻型颅脑损伤的程度是很有必要的.     

儿童轻型颅脑损伤中头颅CT异常患者的危险因素

目的:探讨儿童轻型颅脑损伤头颅CT异常的危险因素。方法:回顾性分析2014年1月至2016年12月收治175例儿童轻型颅脑损伤患者的临床资料,其中男103例,女72例;年龄0.6~14.0(8.2±3.5)岁。受伤原因:交通事故67例,坠跌伤99例,其他(打伤、撞伤、砸伤、砍伤)9例。根据初次头颅CT结果将患者分为正常组(33例)和异常组(142例)。对可能出现头颅CT异常患者的性别、年龄、入院时GCS评分、受伤原因、初次头颅CT检查时间、意识丧失、呕吐、外伤后癫痫8项危险因素,进行单因素和多因素非条件logistic回归分析。结果:单因素分析结果显示性别(P=0.001)、年龄(P=0.008)、呕吐(P=0.019)为儿童轻型颅脑损伤头颅CT异常的相关危险因素。多因素非条件logistic回归分析结果显示年龄(OR=4.267,95%CI:1.518~11.991,P=0.006)和呕吐(OR=3.054,95%CI:1.356~6.877,P=0.007)是儿童轻型颅脑损伤头颅CT异常的独立危险因素。结论:年龄≤6岁和呕吐是儿童轻型颅脑损伤头颅CT异常的独立危险因素,为儿童轻型颅脑损伤临床选择是行头颅CT提供了依据。     

重型颅脑损伤患者术后脑积水的相关因素分析

目的分析重型颅脑损伤患者术后脑积水的相关因素,探讨其预防措施。方法回顾分析生存时间至少持续6个月重型颅脑损伤、采用开颅手术治疗患者的临床病例资料,入组336例患者,根据脑积水诊断标准将患者分为脑积水组53例和非脑积水组283例,统计术后脑积水发生率,分析年龄、性别、入院时GCS评分、颅内血肿位置、是否开放性颅脑损伤、是否蛛网膜下腔出血、手术时间、是否实施去骨瓣减压术、是否腰椎穿刺脑脊液置换、是否合并颅内感染、是否硬脑膜敞开对术后脑积水的影响。结果单因素分析结果显示,脑积水组和非脑积水组患者年龄、入院时GCS评分、颅内血肿位置、是否开放性颅脑损伤、是否蛛网膜下腔出血、是否实施去骨瓣减压术、是否腰椎穿刺脑脊液置换、是否合并颅内感染、是否硬脑膜敞开差异有显著性(P<0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,年龄(OR=1.035,95%CI:1.009～1.235)、颅内血肿位置(OR=2.306,95%CI:1.125～5.329)、开放性颅脑损伤(OR=1.542,95%CI:1.272～2.765)、蛛网膜下腔出血(OR=6.036,95%CI:1.687～16.593)、实施去骨瓣减压术(OR=2.325,95%CI:1.162～5.428)、合并颅内感染(OR=2.425,95%CI:1.027～4.398)、硬脑膜敞开(OR=1.741,95%CI:1.152～2.534)是术后并发脑积水的危险因素,腰椎穿刺脑脊液置换[OR=-1.416,95%CI:-(1.014-3.052)]是术后并发脑积水的保护因素。结论重型颅脑损伤患者术后并发脑积水的概率较高,高龄、颅内血肿位于硬膜下、开放性颅脑损伤、蛛网膜下腔出血、实施去骨瓣减压术、合并颅内感染、硬脑膜敞开的患者更易出现术后脑积水,实施腰椎穿刺脑脊液置换有利于预防术后脑积水。     

重型颅脑损伤患者发生肺部感染危险因素探讨

目的探讨重型颅脑损伤患者发生肺部感染的危险因素。方法回顾性分析2011年1月至2016年12月迁安市中医医院收治的498例重型颅脑损伤患者的病例资料,根据有无肺部感染分为肺部感染组(242例)及非肺部感染组(256例),比较两组患者的基本情况、临床特点、实验室指标之间的差异,通过Logistic回归分析明确重型颅脑损伤患者发生肺部感染的独立影响因子。结果感染组与非感染组患者的年龄、性别构成比、体重指数、是否行开颅手术以及白细胞、血红蛋白、肝肾功能等差异均无统计学意义(P 0. 05);与非感染组相比,感染组患者的吸烟指数更高(t=-6. 691,P 0. 001)、格拉斯哥昏迷评分(GCS)偏低(t=6. 657,P 0. 001)、合并糖尿病(χ~2=8. 398,P=0. 004)及机械通气比率高(χ~2=4. 595,P=0. 032)、血白蛋白水平偏低(t=9. 104,P 0. 001)。Logistic回归分析结果显示,吸烟指数≥20包·年(OR=20. 926,95%CI:8. 956～48. 896,P 0. 001)、GCS评分5分(OR=0. 460,95%CI:0. 283～0. 747,P=0. 002)、合并糖尿病(OR=3. 640,95%CI:2. 041～6. 490,P 0. 001)、机械通气(OR=2. 387,95%CI:1. 307～6. 490,P=0. 005)、低白蛋白血症(OR=0. 284,95%CI:0. 178～0. 453,P 0. 001)与重型颅脑损伤患者发生肺部感染独立相关。结论吸烟指数高、GCS评分低、合并糖尿病、机械通气及低白蛋白血症与重型颅脑损伤患者发生肺部感染有关。     

颅脑外伤患者有创颅内压监测并发颅内感染的多因素分析

目的:分析应用有创颅内压监测的颅脑外伤手术患者,术后并发颅内感染的影响因素。方法:回顾性分析我院2013年6月至2014年6月收治的进行有创颅内压监测的颅脑外伤患者56例的临床资料,比较颅内感染患者(感染组)与无颅内感染患者(非感染组)的年龄、性别、入院时格拉斯哥昏迷(GCS)评分、切口类型、手术持续时间、手术次数、切口引流管留置时长、颅内压监测探头放置部位、颅内压监测探头留置时长、血糖及是否合并脑脊液漏,并利用单因素及Logistic回归分析法确定颅内感染的相关因素及独立危险因素。结果:切口类型(x2=4.058,P=0.044)、颅内压监测探头放置部位(x2=5.486,P=0.019)、脑脊液漏(x2=12.562,P0.001)、切口引流管留置时长(t=3.94,P0.001)、颅内压监测探头留置时长(t=2.73,P=0.01)以及手术持续时间(t=2.06,P=0.045)是患者出现颅内感染的危险因素,其中切口引流管留置时长(OR=0.347,P=0.009)、颅内压监测探头留置时长(OR=0.640,P=0.048)及脑脊液漏(OR=14.243,P=0.005)为颅内感染的独立危险因素。结论:颅脑外伤术后有创颅内压监测患者并发颅内感染与多种因素有关。切口引流管留置时间延长、颅内压监测探头留置时间延长以及合并脑脊液漏为术后出现颅内感染的独立危险因素。     

无意识障碍的脑挫裂伤35例

1991年以来,我院收治的脑挫裂伤患者中有35例无意识障碍,现将诊治中的几点体会总结如下。 1 临床资料 1.1 一般资料:35例中男28例,女7例;年龄17～66岁。平均28.5岁;受伤原因:打击伤13例,跌伤9例,车祸伤7例,坠落伤6例;着力部位:额部14例,颞部12例,顶部6例,枕部3例。 1.2 主要临床表现:头痛35例,项部两侧痛、颈项抵抗或强直28例,体温增高24例,呕吐15例,精神症状5例,脑脊液耳漏4例,2例并颅内血肿者对侧肢体不全偏瘫,一侧肢体肌张力增高1例,一侧腹壁反射消失,Babinski征阳性1例。所有病人伤后均无意识障碍及逆行性健忘,生命体征无异常改变。 1.3 辅助检查:35例周围血白细胞计数及分类     

脓毒症新发心律失常的发病率及危险因素分析

目的:研究脓毒症新发心律失常的发病率及危险因素。方法:回顾性分析辽宁省人民医院2018-01—2019-10期间收治的脓毒症患者315例。根据是否出现新发心律失常将患者分为新发心律失常组和非新发心律失常组,比较两组患者的临床资料,采用二元logistic回归分析筛选脓毒症新发心律失常的独立危险因素。结果:315例脓毒症患者中91例出现新发心律失常(28.89%)。新发心律失常组与非新发心律失常组患者间性别、既往病史[慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)、高血压、糖尿病、缺血性心脏病、心律失常、心力衰竭、肾脏疾病、脑血管病、恶性肿瘤]比较均差异无统计学意义(P0.05),急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分系统Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)评分比较差异有统计学意义(P=0.00),两组患者间年龄(P=0.00)、器官功能障碍中的呼吸衰竭(P=0.00)、心力衰竭(P=0.02)、代谢紊乱(P=0.00)、急性肾损伤(P=0.03)、凝血功能障碍(P=0.03)及高敏肌钙蛋白(hs-cTnT)(P=0.00)差异有统计学意义,肝脏功能障碍差异无统计学意义(P=0.16),机械通气(P=0.00)、儿茶酚胺药物使用(P=0.00)、肾脏替代治疗(CRRT)(P=0.04)差异均有统计学意义。二元Logistic回归分析显示年龄(OR=1.00,95%CI:0.98～1.03)、hs-cTnT(OR=1.32,95%CI:1.18～1.47)呼吸衰竭(OR=1.53,95%CI:0.79～2.98)、心力衰竭(OR=1.27,95%CI:0.54～2.97)、代谢紊乱(OR=2.24,95%CI:1.14～4.38)、急性肾损伤(OR=1.11,95%CI:0.51～2.42)、凝血功能障碍(OR=1.61,95%CI:0.76～3.41)机械通气(OR=2.81,95%CI:0.16～48.27)、儿茶酚胺药物使用(OR=1.87,95%CI:1.01～3.47)是脓毒症新发心律失常的独立危险因素。结论:脓毒症新发心律失常发病率较高,年龄、hs-cTnT、呼吸衰竭、心力衰竭、代谢紊乱、急性肾损伤、凝血功能障碍、机械通气、儿茶酚胺药物使用是脓毒症新发心律失常的独立危险因素,其中机械通气、儿茶酚胺药物使用、代谢紊乱是脓毒症新发心律失常的强独立危险因素。     

老年患者无痛内镜下逆行性胰胆管造影术不良反应及其危险因素分析

目的探讨老年患者无痛内镜下逆行性胰胆管造影术(endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography,ERCP)的主要不良反应及其发生的危险因素。方法静脉麻醉辅助下行ERCP诊治的老年患者126例,观察ERCP围术期血压、心率、呼吸频率、血氧饱和度(blood oxygen saturation,SpO2)等变化以及不良反应发生情况;采用多因素logistic回归分析主要不良反应发生的危险因素。结果126例患者ERCP术中收缩压[(107.2±10.6)mm Hg]、SpO2[(89.70±0.38)%]均较术前[(120.8±12.5)mm Hg、(98.80±0.56)%]明显降低(P0.05),术前、术中及术后舒张压、心率、呼吸频率比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);术中并发低氧血症(SpO290%)47例(37.3%),血压下降22例,心动过缓3例,恶心呕吐及呛咳各1例;多因素logistic回归分析结果显示,年龄≥80岁(OR=5.309,95%CI:1.987~14.186,P=0.000)、吸烟≥10支/d且30a以上(OR=5.447,95%CI:2.075~14.300,P=0.000)、饮酒≥40g/d且20a以上(OR=3.563,95%CI:1.183~10.731,P=0.000)、体质量指数≥30kg/m2(OR=23.833,95%CI:2.296~191.702,P=0.000)、合并慢性阻塞性肺疾病(OR=8.308,95%CI:3.162~21.824,P=0.000)、丙泊酚用量≥280mg(OR=3.773,95%CI:1.708~8.336,P=0.000)、操作时间≥2h(OR=4.993,95%CI:2.117~11.777,P=0.000)是老年患者无痛ERCP发生低氧血症的危险因素。结论低氧血症是老年患者无痛ERCP术中的主要不良反应,高龄(≥80岁)、长期大量吸烟(≥10支/d且在30a以上)、长期大量饮酒(≥40g/d且在20a以上)、高体质量指数(≥30kg/m2)、合并慢性阻塞性肺疾病、丙泊酚用量大(≥280mg)、操作时间长(≥2h)是其发生的危险因素。     

脊柱肿瘤手术病人脑脊液漏影响因素的Meta分析

目的:明确脊柱肿瘤手术病人脑脊液漏的影响因素,为减少脑脊液漏的发生提供参考。方法:计算机检索中英文数据库有关脊柱肿瘤手术病人脑脊液漏影响因素的研究,检索时限为建库至2022年12月1日。由2名研究者独立进行文献筛选、质量评价、数据提取,采用Stata 12.0软件对数据进行Meta分析。结果:共纳入7篇文献,其中5篇病例对照研究,2篇回顾性队列研究,包括8 319例病人。Meta分析结果显示,年龄>60岁[OR=1.78,95%CI(1.14,2.79)]、吸烟史[OR=1.50,95%CI(1.05,2.14)]、二次手术[OR=2.95,95%CI(1.80,4.82)]、手术时间长[WMD=22.71,95%CI(6.11,39.32)]、术中出血量多[WMD=113.92,95%CI(97.19,130.65)]是脊柱肿瘤手术病人术后出现脑脊液漏的危险因素(P<0.05)。结论:发生脑脊液漏的危险因素多,关键在于预防,术前应当对病人进行全面评估,并制订周密计划,从而减少不良后果。     

手足口病感染危险因素分析

目的:分析手足口病的流行病特性和感染危险因素.方法:采用巢式病例对照研究.调查手足口病流行规律和感染危险因素,并对资料单因素和多元条件Logistics回归分析.结果:2009年3-5月间医院共报告手足口病574例,患儿男女性别比例1.71:1(362/212),绝大多数为5岁以下儿童(534例,占93.0%)和散居儿童(436例,占76.0%).335例患者病原检测阳性,其中EV71 161例(48.1%)、CA16 99例(29.6%).条件Logistics回归分析发现6个月～3岁(OR=3.583,95%CI2.778～5.874,P<0.001)、男性(OR=1.785,95%CI1.392～3.083,P=0.02)、散居儿童(OR=2.367,95%CI1.153～4.126,P=0.002)、接触时间(OR=1.565,95%CI 1.268～2.212,P=0.018)、不良卫生条件(OR=1.628,95%CI1.297～2.973,P<0.00)、不良卫生习惯(OR=1.546,95%CI 1.115～3.044,P<0.001)等因素为手足口病感染独立危险因素.结论:尽管采取了严格的预防控制措施,但由于手足口病传播途径复杂,儿童自我卫生管理能力差,使其依然是严重的公共卫生问题之一,需保持高度的警惕性,并严格执行疾病的监测报告制度,针对高危因素,采取综合防治措施.有效杜绝其暴发流行.     

Minimal craniocerebral trauma

The patient with mild head injury is the most frequently hospitalised trauma patient. The costs for this treatment are enormous. Guidelines for managing the patients are changing for the last 20 years. Haematoma rates of 10% have been shown with CT scans in prospective studies for patients with GCS 14/15 and normal neurological examination. One out of ten of these patients had to undergo craniotomy. CT scans have shown to reduce costs if done on all patients with mild head injury and discharged with normal findings. Patients with skull fractures and age over 65 years are at higher risk, but not patients with loss of consciousness and post traumatic amnesia. We suggest CT scans on all patients. If a CT scan is not available we recommend to observe the patient for 24 hours in the hospital. If a patient with GCS 15 is to be discharged, an information leaflet with instructions for surveillance at home should be given to the patients and to the care taker.     

Traumatisme crânien chez l’enfant

Head trauma in children is common and overwhelmingly benign. Severe forms, defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 9, are the leading cause of death in children aged more than one year. Severity is related to the intracranial injuries identified by computed tomography (CT)-scan. Management of severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) based on standardized critical care strategy in paediatric trauma centers aims to prevent secondary brain injuries. Early resuscitation starts on the scene and first need to stabilize main functions. Optimal management of the multitude of children with mild blunt head trauma (GCS: 13–15) remains to define. It relies on prognosis evaluation that determines the need for CT-scan. Emergency physicians must balance the possibility of missing a clinically significant TBI, especially those needing acute neurosurgery and the risks of future malignancies associated with ionizing radiation. The predictive values for TBI of skull fracture, scalp hematoma, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizure, vomiting, rapid kinetics as well as age less than 2 years are controversial. Clinical decision rules identify TBI with an excellent sensitivity but with a high rate of obtaining normal CT-scans. The short observation of children for whom the benignity of head trauma cannot be definitively assessed based on the initial clinical evaluation seems to be beneficial.     

Minor head injury in the elderly at very low risk: a retrospective study of 6 years in an Emergency Department (ED)

Introduction

Mild head injury (MHI) is a common clinical problem in emergency departments (EDs). Long-standing debate is still going on about MHI in the elderly: current guidelines recommend to perform a CT scan on this group.

Materials and methods

We performed a retrospective study by reviewing patients older than 65 years, evaluated in our ED for which a CT scan of the head was performed for MHI, between 2004 and 2010. According to Italian Guidelines, we considered only patients with low-risk MHI.

Results

We considered 2149 eligible patients: we recorded 47 pathological acute findings on CT scan (2.18%), but only 3 patients (0.14%) underwent neurosurgery. We analysed our patients according to different age groups: in patients in the 65- to 79-year-old group, we documented pathological findings on CT in 0.66% of cases, with a significant increase in the group older than 80 years, with a rate of 3.33% of acute findings on CT (OR 5.22, P < .001); 617 patients were on antiplatelet therapy: 22 of these patients (3.72%) had a pathological finding on CT scan (OR 2.23, P < .005).

Discussion

Our retrospective analyses demonstrated that the incidence of intracranial complications after MHI is not different from that of the general population, and based on this finding, a CT does not seem to be necessary, at least up to 80 years old. Our data suggest that antiplatelet therapy could be a significant risk factor. Our results suggest that elderly patients between 65 and 79 years old without risk factors could be managed as younger patients.     

内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术后颅内感染的影响因素

目的探究经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术后发生颅内感染的危险因素,以期能为后期治疗提供参考。方法选取2010年1月-2015年1月该院收治的80例经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术患者为研究对象,回顾性分析80例患者的临床资料,分析患者的年龄、性别、病因、漏口大小、漏口位置、既往有无颅内感染、预防性抗生素、术后应用抗菌药物7 d、手术次数、手术是否使用人工材料、修复材料的选择、脑脊液鼻漏修补失败与经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术后发生颅内感染的相关性。结果 80例患者中4例(5.00%)患者术后发生颅内感染,对4例患者进行脑脊液细菌培养,共分离出8株病原菌,包括3例革兰阴性菌和5株革兰阳性菌,革兰阳性菌主要为金黄色葡萄球菌,占40.00%。单因素分析结果显示,脑脊液鼻漏修补失败、手术操作不当、修复材料的选择、既往有颅内感染病史和漏口大小直径1 cm与经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术后发生颅内感染有一定的相关性(P0.05)。多因素Logistic分析结果显示,脑脊液鼻漏修补失败、手术操作不当、既往有颅内感染病史、修复材料的选择和漏口大小直径1 cm为经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术后发生颅内感染的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论颅底漏口大小直径1 cm、有既往颅内感染史、脑脊液鼻漏修补失败和手术失败因素等多种因素均可能会增大经鼻内镜下脑脊液鼻漏修补术患者术后颅内感染的发生率。     

Factors associated with avoidable interhospital transfers for children with a minor head injury

IntroductionChildren with minor head injuries (MHI) are routinely transferred to a pediatric trauma center for definitive care. Unwarranted transfers result in minimal benefit to the patient and add substantially to healthcare costs. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors associated with avoidable interhospital transfers of children with MHI.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of children <18 years of age transferred to our pediatric emergency department (PED) for MHI between January 2013 and December 2018. Patients transferred for non-accidental trauma, and those with a history of coagulopathies, underlying neurological conditions, intraventricular shunts and developmental delay were excluded. Transfers were categorized as avoidable if none of the following interventions were required at our PED: procedural sedation, anticonvulsant initiation, subspecialty consultation, intensive care unit admission or hospital admission for ≥2 nights, intubation or operative intervention. We collected demographics, injury mechanism, neuroimaging results, interventions performed and PED disposition. Binary logistic regression was conducted to provide adjusted associations between patient characteristics and the risk of avoidable interhospital transfers.ResultsWe analyzed 1078 transfers for MHI, of which 450 (42%) transfers were classified as avoidable. Children in the avoidable transfer group tended to be younger, less likely to have experienced loss of consciousness, and more likely to belong to the the group at lowest risk for a clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI). Our multivariable model determined that children less than 2 years of age (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.3–2.37), low-risk group for ciTBI (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.22–0.1), and a positive head CT at the transferring hospital (OR = 0.06; 95% CI = 0.02–0.1) were all significantly associated with avoidable transfers.ConclusionThere is a high rate of avoidable transfers in children with MHI. Focused interventions targeting risk factors associated with avoidable transfers may reduce unwarranted interhospital transfers.     

Use of a complete neurological examination to screen for significant intracranial abnormalities in minor head injury

Indications for head computed tomography (CT) scans are unclear in patients with nonpenetrating head injury and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 15. We performed a prospective study to determine if significant intracranial injury could be excluded in patients with GCS-15 and a normal complete neurological examination. A prospective trial of clinically sober adult patients with GCS = 15 on emergency department (ED) presentation after closed head injury with loss of consciousness or amnesia was conducted from May 1996 through April 1997. All subjects underwent a standardized neurological examination including mental status evaluation, and assessment of motor, sensory, cerebellar and reflex function before CT scan. During the study period, 58 patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty-five patients (95%) had normal CT scans and 23 (42%) had focal neurological abnormalities. Three patients (5%) had CT scan findings of acute intracranial injury, two of whom had normal neurological examinations. One patient had an acute subdural hematoma requiring emergent surgical decompression; the other had both an epidural hematoma and pneumocephalus that did not require surgery. Significant brain injury and need for CT scanning cannot be excluded in patients with minor head injury despite a GCS = 15 and normal complete neurological examination on presentation.     

The diagnosis and management of transient global amnesia in the emergency department

Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) is a benign and temporary loss of anterograde memory with the preservation of remote memories and immediate recall. TGA was first described in 1956 and since then epilepsy, transient ischaemic attacks (TIA), migraine and now intracranial venous stasis have been implicated in its aetiology. Precipitants of TGA include physical exertion and valsalva-like manoeuvres. In order to diagnose TGA the criteria created by Hodge and Warlow in 1990 can be used. This requires the episode of memory loss to be witnessed and involve anterograde amnesia. The patient must not have any evidence of neurological signs or deficits, features of epilepsy, active epilepsy or recent head injury. Finally the episode must have resolved within 24 h. In this case study the patient's symptoms are mistakenly attributed to a TIA. There is no increased risk of TIA or CVA in patients who have had TGA and there are no increased levels of mortality amongst these patients. In this article we aim to help doctors working in the emergency department to diagnose and manage TGA.     

Fiabilidad interobservador de la escala del coma de Glasgow en pacientes críticos con enfermedad neurológica o neuroquirúrgica

IntroductionThe Glasgow coma scale (GCS) is a common tool used for neurological assessment of critically ill patients. Despite its widespread use, the GCS has some limitations, as sometimes different observers may value differently the same response.ObjectiveTo evaluate the interobserver agreement, among intensive care nurses with a minimum of 3 years experience, both in the overall estimate of GCS and for each of its components.MethodsProspective observational study including 110 neurological and/or neurosurgical patients conducted in a critical care unit of 18 beds, from October 2010 until December 2012. Registered variables: Demographic characteristics, reason for admission, overall GCS and its components. The neurological evaluation was conducted by a minimum of 3 nurses. One of them applied an algorithm and consensual assessment technique and all, independently, valued response to stimuli. Interobserver agreement was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Clinical Trails.ResultsThe intraclass correlation coefficient (confident interval) for scale was: Overall GCS: 0.989 (0.985-0.992); ocular response: 0.981 (0.974-0.986); verbal response: 0.971 (0.960-0.979); motor response: 0.987 (0.982-0.991).ConclusionIn our cohort of patients we observed a high level of consistency in the application of both the GCS as in each of its components.     

The application of North American CT scan criteria to an Australian population with minor head injury

Objective: To determine potential changes in the number of CT head scans performed if the New Orleans Criteria (NOC) or Canadian CT Head Rule (CCTR) was applied to an Australian emergency department population of minor head injured (MHI) patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted in an adult metropolitan teaching hospital in Brisbane. All patients presenting over a 3‐month period with a GCS Score of 15 following an MHI and had a CT head scan performed were selected for analysis. Using clinically significant CT abnormalities and neurological intervention as the outcome measures, the NOC and CCTR were applied to determine if CT scanning was considered necessary. Results: Of the 240 patients reviewed, 230 had a normal CT scan and 10 had clinically significant CT abnormalities. One patient with CT abnormality required neurosurgical intervention. Application of the NOC would have resulted in a 3.8% (95% CI 1.7–7.0%) reduction in CT scans performed without missing any patients with CT abnormalities or requiring neurological intervention. Application of the CCTR using both high and low risk factors would have resulted in a 46.7% (95% CI 40.2–53.2%) reduction in CT scans performed without missing the patient requiring neurological intervention, but would not have detected two patients with clinically significant CT abnormalities. Conclusion: Neither the NOC nor the CCRT appear suitable for significantly reducing the number of normal CT head scans performed without missing clinically significant CT abnormalities when applied to our current clinical practice.