Early prognosis in traumatic tetraplegia.
This is a retrospective study of 18 acute traumatic tetraplegic patients admitted to the Cardiff Royal Infirmary within 12 hours of injury. The nursing charts of pulse rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate were scrutinized and the mean values over a 24-hour period were plotted against outcome with regard to mortality and respiratory complications. A systolic blood pressure below 115 mmHg was found to be associated with a high morbidity and mortality. A hypothesis is advanced that this finding is related to autonomic imbalance.
D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011674:Pulse; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies