Table 4.

GRADE level of evidence for CMD measures and patient functional outcome

CMD measure	Association with patient functional outcome	GRADE level of evidence
Glucose	Low mean glucose is associated with poor outcome/mortality at 3–6 months post-injury	C (Low) – Large number of studies with significant limitations
Glutamate	High mean glutamate is associated with poor outcome/mortality at 3–6 months post-injury	C (Low) – Large number of studies with significant limitations
Glycerol	High mean glycerol is associated with poor outcome/mortality at 3–6 months post-injury	C (Low) – Large number of studies with significant limitations
LPR	Elevated mean LPR (>25 to 40) is associated with poor outcome/mortality at 3–6 months post-injury	C (Low) – Large number of studies with significant limitations
Lactate	Elevated mean lactate is associated with poor outcome/mortality at 3–6 months post-injury	C (Low) – Large number of studies with significant limitations
Pyruvate	Persistently low mean pyruvate levels, in the presence of elevated LPR, is associated with üoor outcome	D (Very Low) – limited number of studies evaluating pyruvate in isolation; significant limitations identified within these studies
Potassium	Mean potassium levels less than 1.8 mmol/l is associated with a good GOS at 3 months post-injury	D (Very Low) – one study with limitations
Sodium	There is no association between mean CMD sodium levels and outcome	D (Very Low) – one study with limitations

CMD cerebral microdialysis, LPR lactate:pyruvate ratio, mmol millimolar, l liter, GOS Glasgow Outcome Scale