Influence of glibenclamide on outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes and traumatic brain injury

Background and purposeThe influence of sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) and its inhibitor glibenclamide on progressive secondary hemorrhage (PSH), progressive hemorrhagic necrosis (PHN), and brain edema has been studied in rat models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ischemia. These studies indicate that blocking SUR1 may exert protective effects in terms of outcome.MethodsWe discuss the effects of glibenclamide on outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and TBI. We collected demographic, clinical, and imaging data from the clinical records of TBI patients with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to the neurosurgery department at Shanghai 6th People's Hospital between 2001 and 2012. Data from patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Patients were divided into glibenclamide group and insulin group.ResultsOf 70 patients fit criteria for inclusion, no significant difference was observed except for age and fasting plasma glucose between the two groups. Outcome indicators, including GCS discharge, GOS discharge, length of study in hospital (LOS-H), and the presence of PSH showed no significant difference too (p > 0.05), except for length of stay in neuro-intensive care unit (LOS-NICU) (p < 0.05). Age, hours between the initial CT scan and the injury (HCT1) and GCS at admission were observed as factors associated with PSH after logistic regression.ConclusionsIn general, the use of glibenclamide to control plasma glucose after TBI had no significant effect on patient outcome at discharge but it could reduce the LOS-NICU (p < 0.05). Glibenclamide also had no apparent effect on the presence of PSH in TBI patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.