Correlative analysis between plasma C-reactive protein concentration and computed tomographic manifestations in acute traumatic brain injury

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the correlations between computed tomographic manifestations and plasma C-reactive protein concentration in acute traumatic brain injury. Methods: Plasma C-reactive protein concentrations in eighty-six patients with acute traumatic brain injury and 86 healthy controls were measured using ELISA. The change of plasma C-reactive protein level and its correlation with computed tomographic manifestations were analyzed statistically. Results: Plasma C-reactive protein level was significantly higher in patients with acute traumatic brain injury than in healthy controls(6.87 ± 3.94 mg/L vs 1.33 ± 0.74 mg/L; P < 0.01). Plasma C-reactive protein level was obviously higher in patients with compressed cistern, midline shift(> 5 mm) or subarachnoid hemorrhage than without that(all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Plasma C-reactive protein concentrations are highly correlated with compressed cistern, midline shift(> 5 mm) and subarachnoid hemorrhage, and thus can be identified as a biomarker mirrors the severity of acute traumatic brain injury. (authors)