Prevalence and factors associated with the diagnosis of brain death

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the prevalence of brain death and its associated factors. Method: cross-sectional study with data from the records of neurocritical patients and potential organ donors between 2018 and 2019, being analyzed by descriptive statistics and multivariate multinomial logistic regression. Results: the prevalence of brain death in followed-up patients was 46.6%, predominantly men, adults, with traumatic brain injury (44.3%) as cause of death. Factors associated with brain death were: Glasgow Coma Scale score (RRR=0.30; p=0.001), vasoactive drug use (RRR=7.55; p=0.000) and Hemorrhagic and Ischemic stroke (RRR=2.14; p=0.031). Conclusion: there was a high prevalence of brain death. The use of vasoactive drugs, the Glasgow Coma Scale score and the diagnoses of Hemorrhagic and Ischemic stroke were associated with the evolution to the condition.