Establishing a core outcome set for blunt cerebrovascular injury: an EAST modified Delphi method consensus study

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Neurology
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) research is hindered by inconsistent outcome reporting.
• Heterogeneous data complicates meta-analyses and evidence synthesis for BCVI.
• A standardized framework is needed to improve the quality and comparability of BCVI research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a consensus-driven core outcome set (COS) for blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI).
• To address the heterogeneity in outcome reporting in current BCVI literature.
• To facilitate future BCVI research and enable data pooling for enhanced statistical power.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi study involving content experts in BCVI was conducted.
• Experts iteratively scored proposed outcomes using a 9-point Likert scale over four rounds.
• Consensus was defined by specific thresholds for agreement (>70% high scores, <15% low scores).

Main Results:

• Nine core outcomes achieved consensus for inclusion in the BCVI COS.
• Key outcomes include stroke incidence, mortality, bleeding complications, and injury progression.
• Four important non-outcome reporting items were also identified, including time to diagnosis and therapy type.

Conclusions:

• A consensus-based core outcome set (COS) for BCVI has been successfully defined.
• This COS provides a standardized framework for future BCVI research.
• Implementation of the COS will enhance data comparability and statistical power in pooled analyses.