Traumatic Brain Injury identified by serum Biomarker

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is found in glial cells and is specific to the central nervous system.

Currently the Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) is the primary measure used to assess patients with head injury, but it can be influenced by intoxicants, medicine, other injuries, or hypo perfusion.

Patients in a study at the Orlando Regional Medical center that presented with traumatic brain injury had blood collected within 4 hours of injury.

Early GFAP levels were able to distinguish TBI patients from normal controls and differentiated those with mild TBI (GCS15).

These findings may guide emergency medical physicians in the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with altered sensorium.