Severe traumatic head injury in adults: which patients are at risk of early hyperthermia?

Objective: Prevention of secondary insults, such as hyperthermia, is a major goal after traumatic brain injury. The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for early hyperthermia in severe head-injured patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Early onset pneumonia: risk factors and consequences in head trauma patients.

Background: Early onset pneumonia occurs frequently in head trauma patients, but the potential consequences and the risk factors of this event have been poorly studied.

Methods: This prospective observational study was undertaken in the surgical intensive care unit of a university teaching hospital in Clichy, France. Head trauma patients requiring tracheal intubation for neurologic reasons and ventilation for at least 2 days were studied to assess the risk factors and the consequences of early onset pneumonia.

Involvement of renin-angiotensin system in pressure-flow relationship: role of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism.

Background: The renin-angiotensin system is involved in blood pressure regulation. The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is known to be associated with variation of plasma and cellular ACE concentrations. Furthermore, changes in arterial function have been suggested to be associated to the DD genotype.