Association between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Biomarker Levels and Diagnosis, Injury Severity, and Short-Term Outcomes in Patients with Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates the potential of using biomarkers found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum to diagnose the severity of spinal cord injuries (SCI). Biomarkers are measurable substances in the body that can indicate a disease or condition. The researchers compared the levels of ten different biomarkers in SCI patients and healthy individuals. They found that several biomarkers were significantly higher in SCI patients, suggesting that these markers could help in diagnosis. The study also explored whether these biomarkers could predict the severity of the SCI, as measured by the American Spinal Injury Association (AIS) Impairment Scale. While some biomarkers showed promising correlations, they did not reliably predict short-term outcomes.

• 1
  CSF and serum concentrations of SBDP150, S100B, GFAP, NF-L, UCHL-1, Tau, and IL-6 were significantly higher in SCI patients compared to the control group.
• 2
  CSF levels of GBDP 38/44K, UCHL-L1, S100B, GFAP, and Tau were significantly higher in the AIS A patients, indicating a potential correlation with injury severity.
• 3
  The study demonstrated a strong correlation between biomarker levels in the diagnosis and injury severity of SCI but no association with short-term outcomes.