Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in blood serum of patients with traumatic brain injury

Relevance. Head injuries in Russia are the most significant cause of death in emergencies and road traffic accidents, as well as disability of victims. Neurospecific proteins such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are markers of neural tissue damage and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Blood serum GFAP analysis can become a possible noninvasive method to assess brain injury severity and prognosis.

Intention. To analyze GFAP levels in blood serum of patients having central nervous system traumas of varying severity as well as the injury outcomes.

Methodology. GFAP levels were measured in the blood serum of 47 patients with traumatic brain injury before their treatment and in 42 apparently healthy donors using immunoenzyme method (Human GFAP ELISA, BioVendor, USA).

Results and Discussion. GFAP detection frequency was 38.3 % (18 out of 47 people) for the group of patients with traumatic brain injury, while the marker was nearly undetectable in the control group. There were statistically significant differences in serum GFAP levels depending on severity and outcome. The basal average marker concentration in the group with poor outcome was 10 times higher than in patients with a favorable outcome.

Conclusion. GFAP is a potential marker to assess severity and prognosis of traumatic brain injur

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