Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with depressed aerobic metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction. Normobaric hyperoxia (NBH) has been suggested as a treatment for TBI, but studies in humans have produced equivocal results. In this study the authors used brain tissue O ₂ tension measurement, cerebral microdialysis, and near-infrared spectroscopy to study the effects of NBH after TBI. They investigated the effects on cellular and mitochondrial redox states measured by the brain tissue lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR) and the change in oxidized cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) concentration, respectively.

The authors studied 8 adults with TBI within the first 48 hours postinjury. Inspired oxygen percentage at normobaric pressure was increased from baseline to 60% for 60 minutes and then to 100% for 60 minutes before being returned to baseline for 30 minutes.

The results are presented as the median with the interquartile range in parentheses. During the 100% inspired oxygen percentage phase, brain tissue O2 tension increased by 7.2 kPa (range 4.5–9.6 kPa) (p < 0.0001), microdialysate lactate concentration decreased by 0.26 mmol/L (range 0.0–0.45 mmol/L) (p = 0.01), microdialysate LPR decreased by 1.6 (range 1.0–2.3) (p = 0.02), and change in oxidized CCO concentration increased by 0.21 μmol/L (0.13–0.38 μmol/L) (p = 0.0003). There were no significant changes in intracranial pressure or arterial or microdialysate glucose concentration. The change in oxidized CCO concentration correlated with changes in brain tissue O ₂ tension (r _s = 0.57, p = 0.005) and in LPR (r _s = −0.53, p = 0.006).

The authors have demonstrated oxidation in cerebral cellular and mitochondrial redox states during NBH in adults with TBI. These findings are consistent with increased aerobic metabolism and suggest that NBH has the potential to improve outcome after TBI. Further studies are warranted.