The association between blood coagulation parameters and glasgow coma scale in patients with head trauma admitted to intensive care unit

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury as one of the main causes of mortality and disability is associated with changes in blood coagulation parameters and coagulopathy. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the association between prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), international normalized ratio (INR), and platelet count with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) in patients with brain trauma. Methods: In this prospective study, 120 patients with a brain injury admitted to intensive care units (ICU) of Alzahra hospital in Isfahan, Iran, were randomly selected. PT, PTT, INR, and platelet counts were measured at the time of admission to the intensive care unit and 24 hours after it. Findings: At the beginning of admission to intensive care unit, GCS had a significant correlation with platelet count (r = 0.31, P < 0.010), and reverse and significant correlation with PT (r =-0.29, P = 0.001), PTT (r =-0.32, P < 0.010), and INR (r =-0.29, P = 0.001). Similarly, 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit, GCS had a direct and significant correlation with platelet count and also a significant and inverse correlation with PT, PTT, and INR (P < 0.050 for all). Conclusion: GCS has a direct correlation with blood platelet level, and has an inverse correlation with PT, PTT, and INR, and therefore, these blood coagulation parameters can be used to predict the severity of brain trauma in patients with head trauma. © 2018, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.