Differences in Eotaxin Serum Levels between Polytraumatized Patients with and without Concomitant Traumatic Brain Injury—A Matched Pair Analysis

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Early detection of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is crucial for minimizing secondary neurological damage. Our study aimed to assess the potential of IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, TNF, and eotaxin serum levels—as a single clinical tool or combined into a panel—for diagnosing TBI in multiple injured patients. Methods: Out of 110 prospectively enrolled polytrauma victims (median age, 39 years; median ISS, 33; 70.9% male) admitted to our level I trauma center over four years, we matched 41 individuals with concomitant TBI (TBI cohort) to 41 individuals without TBI (non-TBI cohort) based on age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and mortality. Patients’ protein levels were measured upon admission (day 0) and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 during routine blood withdrawal using one separation gel tube each time. Results: The median serum levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF exhibited non-similar time courses in the two cohorts and showed no significant differences on days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7. However, the median eotaxin levels had similar trend lines in both cohorts, with consistently higher levels in the TBI cohort, reaching significance on days 0, 3, and 5. In both cohorts, the median eotaxin level significantly decreased from day 0 to day 1, then significantly increased until day 10. We also found a significant positive association between day 0 eotaxin serum levels and the presence of TBI, indicating that for every 20 pg/mL increase in eotaxin level, the odds of a prevalent TBI rose by 10.5%. ROC analysis provided a cutoff value of 154 pg/mL for the diagnostic test (sensitivity, 0.707; specificity, 0.683; AUC = 0.718). Conclusions: Our findings identified the brain as a significant source, solely of eotaxin release in humans who have suffered a TBI. Nevertheless, the eotaxin serum level assessed upon admission has limited diagnostic value. IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF do not indicate TBI in polytraumatized patients.