Serum parameters after traumatic brain injury

Classification. In patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is the most commonly used system for classification of TBI severity. Using the GCS score TBI can be classified into mild (GCS 1513), moderate (GCS 13-9) and severe (GCS 8-3). Diagnostics. In patients with moderate or severe TBI cranial computed tomography (CCT) is obligatory. In patients presenting with mild TBI physicians face a dilemma because the neurological impairment occurs more often as a corollary of acute intoxication or pre-existing conditions and not due to intracranial lesions. Nevertheless, to exclude the risk of intracranial bleeding all patients with mild TBI have to undergo neuroradiological imaging. Individuals suffering from mild TBI would therefore benefit from additional evaluation of serum parameters that help to determine the necessity for a CCT scan. Literature. This review provides a critical assessment of current serum parameters used for the diagnosis of mild TBI and the current state of knowledge.