Association of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio with mortality in patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) as an inflammation-based prognostic score for predicting mortality in patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Methods: We systematically searched the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane up to February 2024. Our inclusion criteria encompassed studies investigating CAR-predicted mortality in patients with TBI. We calculated the Odds Ratio (OR) and associated 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) using a random-effects model. Quality assessment of the included studies was appraised using a Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results: A total of five studies comprising 1040 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that CAR was associated with mortality in patients with TBI (OR = 1.88, 95 % CI: 1.05–3.36, P < 0.0001). The findings of subgroup analysis indicated that the relationship between CAR and mortality in patients with TBI did not vary with the severity of the condition. Conclusions: CAR emerges as a valuable prognostic tool for mortality in patients with TBI, underscoring its potential role in early risk stratification and management strategies.

Keywords

• C-Reactive protein/albumin
• Ratio
• Traumatic brain injury
• Mortality
• Meta-analysis