Brain metabolism is significantly impaired at blood glucose below 6 mM and brain glucose below 1 mM in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
BACKGROUND
The optimal blood glucose target following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) must be defined. Cerebral microdialysis was used to investigate the influence of arterial blood and brain glucose on cerebral glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, and calculated indices of downstream metabolism.


METHODS
In twenty TBI patients, microdialysis catheters inserted in the edematous frontal lobe were dialyzed at 1 microl/min, collecting samples at 60 minute intervals. Occult metabolic alterations were determined by calculating the lactate- pyruvate (L/P), lactate- glucose (L/Glc), and lactate- glutamate (L/Glu) ratios.


RESULTS
Brain glucose was influenced by arterial blood glucose. Elevated L/P and L/Glc were significantly reduced at brain glucose above 1 mM, reaching lowest values at blood and brain glucose levels between 6-9 mM (P < 0.001). Lowest cerebral glutamate was measured at brain glucose 3-5 mM with a significant increase at brain glucose below 3 mM and above 6 mM. While L/Glu was significantly increased at low brain glucose levels, it was significantly decreased at brain glucose above 5 mM (P < 0.001). Insulin administration increased brain glutamate at low brain glucose, but prevented increase in L/Glu.


CONCLUSIONS
Arterial blood glucose levels appear to be optimal at 6-9 mM. While low brain glucose levels below 1 mM are detrimental, elevated brain glucose are to be targeted despite increased brain glutamate at brain glucose >5 mM. Pathogenity of elevated glutamate appears to be relativized by L/Glu and suggests to exclude insulin- induced brain injury.
Meierhans
Roman
R
Surgical Intensive Care, University Hospital Zürich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland. roman.meierhans@usz.ch.
Béchir
Markus
M
Ludwig
Silke
S
Sommerfeld
Jutta
J
Brandi
Giovanna
G
Haberthür
Christoph
C
Stocker
Reto
R
Stover
John F
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D019344:Lactic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid