Serum S100B levels in patients with epidural haematomas

Abstract

Protein S100B is today the most promising biomarker for cerebral injury. A welcomed area for the use of such a marker is in the early stages of head trauma and diagnosis of brain injury, in particular epidural haematomas. We report five consecutive cases of epidural haematoma where serum samples for S100B were drawn at admission. Three of the patients showed low levels of S100B (< or =0.2 microg/l). One patient with a large epidural haematoma with radiological signs of cerebral herniation displayed normal levels (0.14 microg/l) of S100B 3.5 h after the initial head trauma. Normal S100B levels in serum do not predict normal intracranial findings. S100B may be unreliable as a marker for epidural haematomas after closed head injury.