title: Transcranial Doppler can predict intracranial hypertension in children with severe traumatic brain injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of emergency Transcranial Doppler (TCD) to predict intracranial hypertension and abnormal cerebral perfusion pressure in children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was designed through data collected from medical records of children with severe TBI (Glasgow coma scale ≤ 8), admitted to a level I pediatric trauma center, between January 2000 and December 2005. Early TCD examination was performed upon admission, and TCD profiles were considered as altered using previously validated threshold values for diastolic velocity (<25 cm/s) and pulsatility index (>1.31) or when no-flow/backflow was detected. Invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) monitoring were considered as the gold standard to measure intracranial hypertension (ICH). Statistical analyses compared TCD profiles to increased ICP (≥ 20 mmHg) and abnormal cerebral perfusion pressure (<50 mmHg) at admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-invasive TCD and ICP monitoring were performed in 117 severe head-injured children. Mean age was 7.6 ± 4.4 years, with a male prevalence (71%). Median initial Glasgow coma scale was 6. TCD had 94% of sensitivity to identify ICH at admission and a negative predict value of 95% to identify normal ICP at admission. Its sensitivity to predict abnormal cerebral perfusion pressure was 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high sensitivity of admission TCD to predict ICH and abnormal CPP after trauma demonstrates that TCD is an excellent first-line examination to determine those children who need urgent aggressive treatment and continuous invasive ICP monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades (Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, France), Université Descartes Paris 5, Paris, France. robertotude@gmail.com
authors.forename: José Roberto Tude
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Rocco
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanot
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cuttaree
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sainte-Rose
authors.forename: Jamary
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira-Filho
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerah
authors.forename: Philippe G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods