Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
Etiology- and age-specific timing of death by neurologic criteria evaluation and declaration in clinical practice
Authors' conclusion
The timing of DNC evaluation and declaration varies substantially across etiologies and age groups.
Study context
- Population
- Adults (≥ 18 years) declared dead by neurologic criteria in German hospitals, April 1, 2020–August 31, 20256,397 with complete timing data
- Participants
- 6,701 adults
- Exposure
- Timing of DNC across brain injury etiologies
- Outcome
- Time from initiation of mechanical ventilation to DNC declaration
Methodological detailsregistry-based, multicentre, 716 hospitals
- Registry-based
- Multicentre
- 716 hospitals
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Median time to DNC
P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Cumulative incidence of DNC · 72 h of ventilation | TBI 64.5% (95% CI 61.3–67.5) · ICH 62.4% (95% CI 59.9–64.7) · SAH 53.7% (95% CI 50.9–56.4) · HIE 36.7% (95% CI 34.4–38.9) · AIS 31.9% (95% CI 28.3–35.4) |
| Cumulative incidence of DNC · 120 h | TBI 83.9% (95% CI 81.3–86.1) · ICH 81.5% (95% CI 79.5–83.4) · SAH 69.0% (95% CI 66.4–71.5) · HIE 67.3% (95% CI 65.0–69.4) · AIS 65.7% (95% CI 61.9–69.1) |
Age and time to DNC
- Older age associated with shorter time to DNC in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH); associations minimal in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
Original publication
Etiology- and age-specific timing of death by neurologic criteria evaluation and declaration in clinical practice. Crit Care. Published 9 May 2026. doi:10.
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