TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Traumatic brain injury in children: glial fibrillary acidic protein and clinical outcomes
JO  - Pediatric emergency care
A1  - Ryan, Emer
A1  - Kelly, Lynne
A1  - Stacey, Catherine
A1  - Duff, Eimear
A1  - Huggard, Dean
A1  - Leonard, Ann
A1  - Boran, Gerard
A1  - McCollum, Danielle
A1  - Doherty, Dermot
A1  - Bolger, Turlough
A1  - Molloy, Eleanor J.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVES: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a neuronal protein released after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and detectable in serum samples. GFAP correlates with symptom severity in adults and may be a marker of brain injury in children with milder symptoms or preverbal children. <br><br>METHODS: GFAP was examined in children with severe TBI (initial Glasgow Coma Scale score <8), with mild TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 14/15), and at 0 to 4 and at 10 to 14 days after TBI and was compared with healthy age-matched controls. Mechanism, time points from injury, and symptoms were recorded. <br><br>RESULTS: The study enrolled 208 children including 110 with TBI (n = 104 mild, 6 severe) and controls (n = 98). GFAP was higher in mild TBI than in controls and highest in the severe TBI cohort, with a maximum value at 6 hours from injury. Vomiting was significantly associated with higher GFAP levels, but no association was found with amnesia, loss of consciousness, and the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool. Children reporting >1-point changes from their preinjury functioning on the Post-Concussive Symptom Inventory had higher initial GFAP but not total Post-Concussive Symptom Inventory score changes. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: GFAP identifies children with TBI, even at the milder end of the spectrum, and is strongly associated with postinjury vomiting. It may be a useful marker of pediatric TBI; however, sampling is time critical.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0749-5161
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PEC.0000000000002527
ID  - ref1
ER  -