S100B and Neuron-Specific Enolase as mortality predictors in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To determine temporal profile and prognostic ability of S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) for prediction of short/long-term mortality in patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).

Methods: Ninety-nine patients with sTBI were included in the study. Blood samples were drawn on admission and on subsequent 24, 48, 72, and 96 h.

S100B protein may detect brain death development after severe traumatic brain injury.

Despite improvements in the process of organ donation and transplants, the number of organ donors is progressively declining in developed countries. Therefore, the early detection of patients at risk for brain death (BD) is a priority for transplant teams seeking more efficient identification of potential donors. In the extensive literature on S100B as a biomarker for traumatic brain injury (TBI), no evidence appears to exist on its prognostic capacity as a predictor of BD after severe TBI.

Role of early cell-free DNA levels decrease as a predictive marker of fatal outcome after severe traumatic brain injury.

Introduction: Circulating cell-free DNA levels are increased after trauma injury. This increase is higher since the first hours after trauma and may be related with primary outcome. A sensitive and reliable biomarker for patients at higher risk is needed to identify these patients to initiate early intervention.