Transcranial LED Therapy for Severe Acute Traumatic Brain Injury

Effects of Transcranial LED Therapy on the Cognitive Rehabilitation for Diffuse Axonal Injury Due to Severe Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate early and delayed effects of Transcranial LED Therapy (TCLT) and determinate whether this therapy is effective for cognitive rehabilitation of Diffuse Axonal Injury patients after Traumatic Brain Injury.

This is a randomized clinical trial of patient with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) secondary to severe Traumatic Brain Injury in its acute stage (less than 8h). It will be recruited thirty adult patients who will receive thirty minutes at three times per week for 6 weeks (18 sessions) of transcranial stimulation. Fifteen of them will be stimulated with LED helmet and the rest with a sham helmet identical to the LED one, but only with a similar red light emission. Patient who meet inclusion criteria will be assessed with Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) evaluation in at least five different periods (Admission, before and after each stimulation, and at 3 and 6 months later in outpatient followup).

Inclusion Criteria:

1) Patient victims of Traumatic Brain Injury with Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 on admission:

1. Head CT scan showing diffuse axonal lesion.
2. CT scan without focal surgical lesions (Marshall I and II) and no signs of intracranial hypertension.
3. Transcranial Doppler and optic nerve sheath US with no signs of intracranial hypertension.
4. Admission less than 8 hours of trauma.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History of drug or narcotic abuse.
2. Emergence of surgical lesions or signs of intracranial hypertension in followup CTs.
3. Transcranial Doppler or optic nerve sheath US presenting signs of intracranial hypertension.
4. Psychiatric disorders.
5. Injury severity score ≥3, according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale