Glial and neuronal proteins in serum predict outcome after severe traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To study the ability of glial (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] and S100b) and neuronal (neuron specific enolase [NSE]) protein levels in peripheral blood to predict outcome after severe traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Eighty-five patients with severe traumatic brain injury (admission Glasgow Coma Score [GCS] 1.13 microg/L was the strongest predictor of death with 100% discrimination, but GFAP (>1.5 microg/L) and NSE (>21.7 microg/L) levels also strongly predicted death (adjusted odds ratios 5.82 [for GFAP] and 3.91 [for NSE]). S100b, GFAP, and NSE all strongly predicted poor outcome (adjusted odds ratios 5.12 [S100b], 8.82 [GFAP], and 3.95 [NSE]). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that determination of serum levels of glial and neuronal proteins may add to the clinical assessment of the primary damage and prediction of outcome after severe traumatic brain injury