Serum haptoglobulin changes in patients with severe isolated head injury.

From a series of 74 patients with severe head injuries and massive brain lesions, we measured the changes in haptoglobulin in 33 cases. On average, the globulin was, after a short drop in the first two days, increased about three times towards the seventh day, and was still above normal after ten days. Seen together with the total alpha-2-globulin increase after head injury this rise seems mainly to be caused by the haptoglobulin changes. Haptoglobulin was found to be a good indicator of the extent of brain tissue damage. It cannot on its own be used for prediction of survival chances.