Serum Biomarker Concentrations upon Admission in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: Associations with TBI Severity, <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection, and Outcome in a Referral Hospital Setting in Cameroon
Franklin Chu Buh,
Germain Sotoing Taiwe,
Firas H. Kobeissy,
Kevin W. Wang,
Andrew I. R. Maas,
Mathieu Motah,
Basil Kum Meh,
Eric Youm,
Peter J. A. Hutchinson,
Irene Ule Ngole Sumbele
Affiliations
Franklin Chu Buh
Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Germain Sotoing Taiwe
Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Firas H. Kobeissy
Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers (CNMB), Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, USA
Kevin W. Wang
Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers (CNMB), Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, USA
Andrew I. R. Maas
Department of Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, 2000 Edegem, Belgium
Mathieu Motah
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala P.O. Box 2701, Cameroon
Basil Kum Meh
Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Eric Youm
Holo Healthcare, Nairobi 00400, Kenya
Peter J. A. Hutchinson
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
Irene Ule Ngole Sumbele
Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, Cameroon
Despite the available literature on traumatic brain injury (TBI) biomarkers elsewhere, data are limited or non-existent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of the study was to analyse associations in acute TBI between the admission serum biomarker concentrations and TBI severity, CT-scan findings, and outcome, as well as to explore the influence of concurrent Toxoplasma gondii infection. The concentrations of serum biomarkers (GFAP, NFL Tau, UCH-L1, and S100B) were measured and Toxoplasma gondii were detected in the samples obtained p = 0.01). The GFAP values significantly increased (p = 0.026) in those with an unfavourable outcome. The Tau levels were higher in those who died (p = 0.017). GFAP and NFL were sensitive to CT-scan pathology (p values of 0.004 and 0.002, respectively). The S100B levels were higher (p Toxoplasma gondii. In conclusion, NFL was found to be sensitive to TBI severity, while NFL and GFAP were predictive of CT intracranial abnormalities. Increased levels of GFAP and Tau were associated with poorer outcomes 6 months after TBI, and the S100B levels were significantly affected by concurrent T. gondii infection in TBI patients compared with the seronegative patients.
