The Effects of Head Elevation on Intracranial Pressure, Cerebral Perfusion Pressure, and Cerebral Oxygenation Among Patients with Acute Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Head elevation is recommended as a tier zero measure to decrease high intracranial pressure (ICP) in neurocritical patients. However, its quantitative effects on cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjvO₂), brain tissue partial pressure of oxygen (PbtO₂), and arteriovenous difference of oxygen (AVDO₂) are uncertain. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of head elevation on ICP, CPP, SjvO₂, PbtO₂, and AVDO₂ among patients with acute brain injury.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library of studies comparing the effects of different degrees of head elevation on ICP, CPP, SjvO₂, PbtO₂, and AVDO₂.

A total of 25 articles were included in the systematic review. Of these, 16 provided quantitative data regarding outcomes of interest and underwent meta-analyses. The mean ICP of patients with acute brain injury was lower in group with 30° of head elevation than in the supine position group (mean difference [MD] − 5.58 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI] − 6.74 to − 4.41 mm Hg; p < 0.00001). The only comparison in which a greater degree of head elevation did not significantly reduce the ICP was 45° vs. 30°. The mean CPP remained similar between 30° of head elevation and supine position (MD − 2.48 mm Hg; 95% CI − 5.69 to 0.73 mm Hg; p = 0.13). Similar findings were observed in all other comparisons. The mean SjvO₂ was similar between the 30° of head elevation and supine position groups (MD 0.32%; 95% CI − 1.67% to 2.32%; p = 0.75), as was the mean PbtO₂ (MD − 1.50 mm Hg; 95% CI − 4.62 to 1.62 mm Hg; p = 0.36), and the mean AVDO₂ (MD 0.06 µmol/L; 95% CI − 0.20 to 0.32 µmol/L; p = 0.65).The mean ICP of patients with traumatic brain injury was also lower with 30° of head elevation when compared to the supine position. There was no difference in the mean values of mean arterial pressure, CPP, SjvO₂, and PbtO₂ between these groups.

Increasing degrees of head elevation were associated, in general, with a lower ICP, whereas CPP and brain oxygenation parameters remained unchanged. The severe traumatic brain injury subanalysis found similar results.