Background: Adult brain injury studies recommend maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) above 70 mm Hg. We evaluated CPP and outcome in brain-injured children.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital courses of children at two Level I trauma centers who required insertion of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitors for management of traumatic brain injury. ICP, CPP, and mean arterial pressure were evaluated hourly, and means were calculated for the first 48 hours after injury.
Results: Of 188 brain-injured children, 118 had ICP monitors placed within 24 hours of injury. They suffered severe brain injury, with average admitting Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 6 +/- 3. Overall mortality rate was 28%. No patient with mean CPP less than 40 mm Hg survived. Among patients with mean CPP in deciles of 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, or 70 mm Hg, no significant difference in Glasgow Outcome Scale distribution existed.
Conclusion: Low mean CPP was lethal. In children with survivable brain injury (mean CPP > 40 mm Hg), CPP did not stratify patients for risk of adverse outcome.