Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study

Introduction: The American Association of Neurologic Surgeons guidelines on the management of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), updated in 2013, focus on spinal cord perfusion, early decompressive surgery, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis to improve neurological outcome. Research quest...

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Main Authors: Fredrika Rask, Erik Uvelius, Niklas Marklund
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Brain and Spine
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772529424000778
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author Fredrika Rask
Erik Uvelius
Niklas Marklund
author_facet Fredrika Rask
Erik Uvelius
Niklas Marklund
author_sort Fredrika Rask
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The American Association of Neurologic Surgeons guidelines on the management of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), updated in 2013, focus on spinal cord perfusion, early decompressive surgery, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis to improve neurological outcome. Research question: How neurocritical care and initial management have changed with the implementation of updated management guidelines, focusing on guidelines adherence and neurological outcome. Material and methods: Systemic physiological variables, time to neurosurgical treatment and VTE prophylaxis, and neurological outcome, were retrospectively collected from adult patients treated for cervical SCI 2001–2021. Results: Fifty-two patients were included. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was significantly higher after 2013 (86±9.9 mmHg) when compared to before 2013 (79±9.9 mmHg), p = 0.041. Median time to surgery was 41 h before, and 20 h after 2013 (p = 0.029). Time to VTE prophylaxis was six days before and four days after 2013. Most neurocritical care complications were less commonly observed after 2013. Despite improved adherence to treatment goals, 44 % of MAP levels were below target, and 33% of patients were operated beyond 24h post-injury. Neurological outcome was not improved after implementation of the revised guidelines. Discussion and conclusion: While implementation of the revised 2013 guidelines improved most aspects of the acute SCI management, many guideline targets were not met in a large subset of patients. Strict adherence to the acute neurocritical management goals, and early surgical treatment, is likely crucial when aiming to improve SCI outcome.
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spelling doaj-art-667e04734fa04334977885c5b6fcaad02025-08-20T01:56:20ZengElsevierBrain and Spine2772-52942024-01-01410282110.1016/j.bas.2024.102821Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective studyFredrika Rask0Erik Uvelius1Niklas Marklund2Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurosurgery, Lund University, Lund, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurosurgery, Lund University, Lund, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurosurgery, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Corresponding author. Skåne University Hospital EA-blocket plan 4 Entrégatan 7, 222 42 Lund. Sweden.Introduction: The American Association of Neurologic Surgeons guidelines on the management of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), updated in 2013, focus on spinal cord perfusion, early decompressive surgery, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis to improve neurological outcome. Research question: How neurocritical care and initial management have changed with the implementation of updated management guidelines, focusing on guidelines adherence and neurological outcome. Material and methods: Systemic physiological variables, time to neurosurgical treatment and VTE prophylaxis, and neurological outcome, were retrospectively collected from adult patients treated for cervical SCI 2001–2021. Results: Fifty-two patients were included. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was significantly higher after 2013 (86±9.9 mmHg) when compared to before 2013 (79±9.9 mmHg), p = 0.041. Median time to surgery was 41 h before, and 20 h after 2013 (p = 0.029). Time to VTE prophylaxis was six days before and four days after 2013. Most neurocritical care complications were less commonly observed after 2013. Despite improved adherence to treatment goals, 44 % of MAP levels were below target, and 33% of patients were operated beyond 24h post-injury. Neurological outcome was not improved after implementation of the revised guidelines. Discussion and conclusion: While implementation of the revised 2013 guidelines improved most aspects of the acute SCI management, many guideline targets were not met in a large subset of patients. Strict adherence to the acute neurocritical management goals, and early surgical treatment, is likely crucial when aiming to improve SCI outcome.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772529424000778Spinal cord injuryMonitoringNeurocritical careMean arterial blood pressureOutcome
spellingShingle Fredrika Rask
Erik Uvelius
Niklas Marklund
Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
Brain and Spine
Spinal cord injury
Monitoring
Neurocritical care
Mean arterial blood pressure
Outcome
title Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
title_full Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
title_fullStr Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
title_full_unstemmed Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
title_short Adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury-a retrospective study
title_sort adherence to international guidelines in neurocritical care of cervical traumatic spinal cord injury a retrospective study
topic Spinal cord injury
Monitoring
Neurocritical care
Mean arterial blood pressure
Outcome
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772529424000778
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