title: Inflammation and Outcome in Traumatic Brain Injury: Does Gender Effect on Survival and Prognosis?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) accounts for the majority of trauma deaths and there has been increased interest in the understanding the role of prognostic factors. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level increases rapidly in response to trauma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the present study was to indicate the role of CRP as a predictor of outcome in TBI patients based on their gender category.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study in a surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in one of the Zanjan University of Medical Science hospital was designed. Fifty nine head trauma patients were divided into two groups based on their gender. Serum CRP was measured 48 hours after trauma. All data including the length of ICU stay, the duration of mechanical ventilation, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) at discharge, and mortality were collected. The relationship between the clinical features and serum CRP level was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the male group, CRP level was not significantly correlated with the length of ICU stay, the duration of mechanical ventilation and GCS at discharge. In the female group, CRP level was positively correlated with the length of ICU stay and the duration of mechanical ventilation; however, CRP level was not significantly correlated with GCS at discharge. These results remain constant in female sub group with severe head injury contrast to female with mild injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GCS level can predict the outcome of females with severe head injury better than females with mild head injury and males.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Science , Zanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Taraneh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naghibi
authors.affiliation: Physician Doctor, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Science , Zanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohajeri
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Science , Zanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Faramarz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dobakhti
keywords: Brain cells; C-reactive protein; Intracranial inflammatory response