Prognostic value of combined data on enzymes and inflammation markers in plasma in cases of severe head injury.

We measured certain enzyme activities (aldolase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase) and inflammation markers (alpha 1-antitrypsin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and leukocytes) each day for four days in plasma of patients with severe head injury. The univariate prognostic efficiency of each biochemical parameter was assessed 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after trauma. By stepwise multivariate analysis applied every day, we found that (a) four variables, two enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase) and two inflammation markers (C-reactive protein and leukocytes), sufficed to reliably predict the patient's outcome and (b) data recorded at 72 h best discriminated between survivors and nonsurvivors. A risk index based on the four selected variables and validated on a large control sample allowed the correct allocation of, respectively, 90% of survivors and 88% of nonsurvivors at 72 h. We discuss why results obtained at 72 h are more predictive than those obtained at any other of the times considered.