Plasma glucose level in Nigerian Africans with head injury.

Trauma is often associated with increased plasma glucose concentrations. This prospective study was designed to determine random plasma glucose concentrations in patients with head injury in our center and to determine if this is related to injury severity and outcome. Patients with head injury in whom the plasma glucose concentration could be determined at our accident and emergency unit during the study period were included. We obtained information on demographic data, diagnosis, injury severity using Glasgow Coma Scale scores, treatment with glucose-containing fluid prior to presentation in our center, plasma glucose on admission, 24 hours later and 72 hours later and outcome at discharge using the Glasgow Outcome Scale score. Hyperglycemia was defined as glucose concentrations above 11.1 mmol/L. Fifty eight patients were included in the study from October 2004 to December 2005. There were 46 males and 12 females (4:1). The mean age (+/- standard deviation [SD]) was 31.3 (16.4) years. Fourteen patients (24.1%) had mild head injury, 21 patients (36.2%) had moderate head injury and 23 patients (39.7%) had severe head injury. The outcome was good in 29 patients (50%), moderate disability in five patients (8.6%), severe disability in one (1.7%) and death in 10 (17.2%). Eighty percent of the patients who died had severe head injury. Most of the patients had a plasma glucose in the normal range irrespective of the severity of the head injury. Only one patient had a plasma glucose in the hyperglycemic range and that patient had a severe head injury. Fifty percent of the patients who died had a plasma glucose concentration in the normal range; none in the hyperglycemic range. This study shows that the plasma glucose is generally below hyperglycemic concentration in our patients irrespective of the severity of head injury.