Early thrombocytopenia is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with traumatic brain injury treated in the intensive care unit: a Finnish Intensive Care Consortium study

BACKGROUND: Coagulopathy after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with poor prognosis. PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence and association with outcomes of early thrombocytopenia in patients with TBI treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter study of adult TBI patients admitted to ICUs during 2003–2019. Thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count < 100 × 10(9)/L during the first day. The association between thrombocytopenia and hospital and 12-month mortality was tested using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for markers of injury severity. RESULTS: Of 4419 patients, 530 (12%) had early thrombocytopenia. In patients with thrombocytopenia, hospital and 12-month mortality were 26% and 48%, respectively; in patients with a platelet count > 100 × 10(9)/L, they were 9% and 22%, respectively. After adjusting for injury severity, a higher platelet count was associated with decreased odds of hospital mortality (OR 0.998 per unit, 95% CI 0.996–0.999) and 12-month mortality (OR 0.998 per unit, 95% CI 0.997–0.999) in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. Compared to patients with a normal platelet count, patients with thrombocytopenia not receiving platelet transfusion had an increased risk of 12-month mortality (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.6–3.0), whereas patients with thrombocytopenia receiving platelet transfusion did not (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.6–1.7). CONCLUSION: Early thrombocytopenia occurs in approximately one-tenth of patients with TBI treated in the ICU, and it is an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. Further research is necessary to determine whether this is modifiable by platelet transfusion. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00701-022-05277-9.