查看文章

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of β-blockers on patients sustaining acute traumatic brain injury. Our hypothesis was that β-blocker exposure is associated with improved survival.

The trauma registry and the surgical ICU databases of an academic Level I trauma center were used to identify all patients sustaining blunt head injury requiring ICU admission from July 1998 to December 2005. Patients sustaining major associated injuries (Abbreviated Injury Score ≥ 4 in any body region other than the head) were excluded. Patient demographics, injury profile, Injury Severity Score, and β-blocker exposure were abstracted. The primary outcomes measure evaluated was in-hospital mortality.

During the 90-month study period, 1,156 patients with isolated head injury were admitted to the ICU. Of these, 203 (18%) received β-blockers and 953 (82%) did not …