Extracellular brain pH with or without hypoxia is a marker of profound metabolic derangement and increased mortality after traumatic brain injury

Cerebral hypoxia and acidosis can follow traumatic brain injury (TBI) and are associated with increased mortality. This study aimed to evaluate a relationship between reduced pHbt and disturbances of cerebral metabolism. Prospective data from 56 patients with TBI, receiving microdialysis and Neurotrend monitoring, were analyzed. Four tissue states were defined based on pHbt and PbtO2: 1—low PbtO2/pHbt, 2—low pHbt/normal PbtO2, 3—normal pHbt/low PbtO2, and 4—normal pHbt/PbtO2). Microdialysis values were compared between the groups. The relationship between PbtO2 and lactate/pyruvate (LP) ratio was evaluated at different pHbt levels. Proportional contribution of each state was evaluated against mortality. As compared with the state 4, the state 3 was not different, the state 2 exhibited higher levels of lactate, LP, and glucose and the state 1—higher LP and reduced glucose (P<0.001). A significant negative correlation between LP and PbtO2 (rho=−0.159, P<0.001) was stronger at low pHbt (rho=−0.201, P<0.001) and nonsignificant at normal pHbt (P=0.993). The state 2 was a significant discriminator of mortality categories (P=0.031). Decreased pHbt is associated with impaired metabolism. Measuring pHbt with PbtO2 is a more robust way of detecting metabolic derangements.