Correlation of Neuron Specific Enolase protein levels with the severity of traumatic brain injury as measured by the Glasgow Coma scale and marshall classification

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a trauma with high morbidity and mortality. The degree of TBI severity so far uses the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Marshall classification of traumatic brain injury from head CT scans has been shown to predict outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury. Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE), a potential biomarker of brain damage for prognostic evaluation, is a structural protein of the central nervous system, which will be regulated to maintain homeostasis in the event of axonal damage. This study aims to find a relationship between Neuron Specific Enolase protein levels and the severity of traumatic brain injury as measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale and Marshall classification. Observational, cross-sectional study with a sample of 51 subjects who were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and admitted to the emergency room. The subject was resuscitated, a blood sample was taken to check NSE levels and a head CT scan was examined. The research was conducted at Dr Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya from August to October 2023. Fifty-one subjects in this study, consisting of 36 men and 15 women, with an average age of 43 years. The results show that the lower GCS is strongly correlated with the higher NSE value with the correlation test results r =-0.467, p < 0.001. The results show that the higher the Marshall classification is strongly correlated with the higher the NSE value with the correlation test results r = 0.475, p < 0.001. There is a significant relationship between NSE levels and GCS levels and also with higher the NSE level, the GCS is decreased. Likewise, there is a significant relationship between the NSE level and the Marshall classification, the higher the NSE level, the higher the Marshall classification.