Systematic Review of Traumatic Brain Injury and the Impact of Antioxidant Therapy on Clinical Outcomes

ABSTRACT Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an acquired brain injury that occurs when there is sudden trauma that leads to brain damage. This acute complex event can happen when the head is violently or suddenly struck or an object pierces the skull or brain. The current principal treatment...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Worldviews on evidence-based nursing 2016-10, Vol.13 (5), p.380-389
Main Authors: Shen, Qiuhua, Hiebert, John B., Hartwell, Julie, Thimmesch, Amanda R., Pierce, Janet D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcysteine - pharmacology
Acetylcysteine - therapeutic use
adjunctive therapy
Adult
Amino Acids - pharmacology
Amino Acids - therapeutic use
antioxidant therapy
Antioxidants - pharmacology
Antioxidants - therapeutic use
Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology
Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use
Brain Injuries, Traumatic - drug therapy
Female
Flavonoids - pharmacology
Flavonoids - therapeutic use
Humans
Male
mitochondrial injury
oxidative stress
Progesterone - pharmacology
Progesterone - therapeutic use
Quercetin - analogs & derivatives
Quercetin - pharmacology
Quercetin - therapeutic use
secondary injury
traumatic brain injury
Treatment Outcome
Vitamin E - pharmacology
Vitamin E - therapeutic use
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Summary:ABSTRACT Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an acquired brain injury that occurs when there is sudden trauma that leads to brain damage. This acute complex event can happen when the head is violently or suddenly struck or an object pierces the skull or brain. The current principal treatment of TBI includes various pharmaceutical agents, hyperbaric oxygen, and hypothermia. There is evidence that secondary injury from a TBI is specifically related to oxidative stress. However, the clinical management of TBI often does not include antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress and prevent secondary injury. Aims The purpose of this article is to examine current literature regarding the use of antioxidant therapies in treating TBI. This review evaluates the evidence of antioxidant therapy as an adjunctive treatment used to reduce the underlying mechanisms involved in secondary TBI injury. Methods A systematic review of the literature published between January 2005 and September 2015 was conducted. Five databases were searched including CINAHL, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Findings Critical evaluation of the six studies that met inclusion criteria suggests that antioxidant therapies such as amino acids, vitamins C and E, progesterone, N‐acetylcysteine, and enzogenol may be safe and effective adjunctive therapies in adult patients with TBI. Although certain limitations were found, the overall trend of using antioxidant therapies to improve the clinical outcomes of TBI was positive. Linking Evidence to Action By incorporating antioxidant therapies into practice, clinicians can help attenuate the oxidative posttraumatic brain damage and optimize patients’ recovery.
ISSN:1545-102X
1741-6787
1741-6787
DOI:10.1111/wvn.12167