A Hemodynamic Safety Checklist Can Improve Blood Pressure Monitoring in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury

The American Association and Congress of Neurological Surgeons recommended mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) in patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) should be 85-90 mm Hg for the first 7 days. We evaluated whether hemodynamic management differed between a primary-receiving and tertiary hospital in the first 24 hours for patients with acute SCI and assessed whether use of a checklist could improve hemodynamic management.

Observational review was performed of 79 patients with acute SCI before and after introduction of a blood pressure monitoring checklist and staff educational program designed to improve tertiary center management. Hemodynamic management in the primary-receiving hospital was compared with the tertiary center before and after checklist introduction.

At the primary-receiving center, mean number of documented MAP readings/hour was 2.2 and 3 before and after checklist introduction. The proportion having >50% of MAP recordings <80 mm Hg was 26% and 22%. The proportion having >50% of MAP recordings <70 mm Hg was 8.5% and 7%. At the tertiary center, mean number of MAP readings/hour was 1.3 and 2.7 before and after checklist introduction (P = 0.02). The proportion having >50% of MAP recordings <80 mm Hg decreased from 36.5% to 16% after checklist introduction (P = 0.05). The proportion having >50% of MAP recordings <70 mm Hg decreased from 9% to 5.5% (P = 0.6). Polytrauma, inotrope use, and head injury significantly correlated with low MAP recordings (P < 0.05). Polytrauma was an independent risk predictor for low MAP recordings (P < 0.05).

Achieving MAP targets for patients with acute SCI is challenging. Checklist use and staff education were associated with improved hemodynamic management. Presence of polytrauma identified patients at particular risk.