sodium-bicarbonate and Brain-Injuries

Hypertonic sodium chloride solutions are routinely used to control raised intracranial pressure (ICP) after traumatic brain injury but have the potential to cause a hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Sodium bicarbonate 8.4% has previously been shown to reduce ICP and we have therefore conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare these two solutions.. Patients with severe traumatic brain injury were randomly allocated to receive an equiosmolar dose of either 100 ml of sodium chloride 5% or 85 ml of sodium bicarbonate 8.4% for each episode of intracranial hypertension. ICP and blood pressure were measured continuously. Arterial pCO(2), sodium, chloride, osmolality, and pH were measured at intervals.. We studied 20 episodes of intracranial hypertension in 11 patients. Treatments with 8.4% sodium bicarbonate and 5% sodium chloride reduced raised ICP effectively with a significant fall in ICP from baseline at all time points (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in ICP with time between those episodes treated with 5% sodium chloride or 8.4% sodium bicarbonate, P = 0.504. Arterial pH was raised after treatment with 8.4% sodium bicarbonate.. An equiosmolar infusion of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate is as effective as 5% sodium chloride for reduction of raised ICP after traumatic brain injury when infused over 30 min.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Brain Injuries; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Intracranial Hypertension; Male; Middle Aged; Saline Solution, Hypertonic; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sodium Chloride; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

Hypertonic saline is routinely used to treat rises in intracranial pressure (ICP) post-traumatic head injury. Repeated doses often cause a hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. We investigated the efficacy of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate as an alternative method of lowering ICP without generating a metabolic acidosis.. We prospectively studied 10 episodes of unprovoked ICP rise in 7 patients treated with 85 ml of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate in place of our usual 100 ml 5% saline. We measured ICP and mean arterial pressure continuously for 6 h after infusion. Serum pH, pCO(2), [Na(+)], and [Cl(-)] were measured at baseline, 30 min, 60 min and then hourly for 6 h.. At the completion of the infusion (t = 30 min), the mean ICP fell from 28.5 mmHg (+/-2.62) to 10.33 mmHg (+/-1.89), P < 0.01. Mean ICP remained below 20 mmHg at all time points for 6 h. Mean arterial pressure was unchanged leading to an increased cerebral perfusion pressure at all time points for 6 h post-infusion. pH was elevated from 7.45 +/- 0.05 at baseline to 7.50 +/- 0.05, P < 0.01 at t = 30 min, and remained elevated. Serum [Na(+)] increased from 145.4 +/- 6.02 to 147.1 +/- 6.3 mmol/l, P < 0.01 at t = 30 min. pCO(2) did not change.. A single dose of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate is effective at treating rises in ICP for at least 6 h. Serum sodium was raised but without generation of a hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.

Topics: Blood Pressure; Brain Injuries; Catheterization, Central Venous; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Chlorides; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Intracranial Pressure; Prospective Studies; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Time Factors

Episodes of arterial hypotension are associated with an increased mortality in head injury patients. Rapid infusion of sodium bicarbonate in such patients may cause hypotension and elevate intracranial pressure. Therefore, we examined the effects of tromethamine (THAM) versus bicarbonate on intracranial pressure and blood pressure in a model of focal cerebral injury. THAM is a buffer that in previous studies has been shown to lower intracranial pressure. After creation of a cryogenic lesion in 13 New Zealand white rabbits, equivalent infusions (15 s duration) of sodium bicarbonate and THAM (2 mEq/kg) were administered sequentially to each animal in random order. Rapid infusion was chosen to simulate the administration of these drugs during a resuscitation. THAM infusion was associated with a significantly lower intracranial pressure and blood pressure than bicarbonate. The fall in blood pressure was great enough that cerebral perfusion pressure after THAM infusion was significantly lower than after bicarbonate infusion. In this model of cerebral injury, rapid infusion of THAM offered no therapeutic advantage over bicarbonate.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Brain Injuries; Carbon Dioxide; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hypotension; Injections, Intravenous; Intracranial Pressure; Osmolar Concentration; Oxygen; Rabbits; Sodium Bicarbonate; Tidal Volume; Tromethamine