Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcome*

Conclusions: Our study suggests that the rate of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity in patients with severe traumatic brain injury is higher than previously reported. Older age was associated with an increased risk for developing paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, but severity of the trauma and the brain injury were not. For survivors of severe traumatic brain injury beyond 24 hours who developed paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, there was a lower PICU mortality but also greater PICU length of stay and a lower likelihood of discharge home from the admitting hospital, suggesting that functional outcome in survivors with paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity is worse than survivors without paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity.
Source: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Neurocritical Care Source Type: research