Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
Extracellular vesicles as biomarkers in traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of animal and clinical studies
Authors' conclusion
This review highlights the potential of EV-based biomarkers in TBI, emphasizing their stability and tissue-specific signatures.
Study context
- Population
- Adults or experimental models with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI), biomarkers studied within the first week of injury18 animal and 19 human studies
- Outcome
- EV-based biomarker identified by each study and its diagnostic accuracy when provided
Methodological detailsPRISMA
- PRISMA
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- miRNAs most frequently identified biomarker in animal studies; proteins most common in human studies
- Most commonly identified extracellular vesicles (EV) proteins GFAP, UCH-L1 and Tau; miRNA-124-3p repeatedly found
- Few studies provided a measure of accuracy; highest diagnostic performance with neural EV-based miRNA panels
Further pooled results
Sample type for EV isolation
- Most often plasma, then brain tissue lysates in animals and CSF or saliva in humans
Methods for EV isolation and characterization
- Mostly ultracentrifugation or polymer-based precipitation; western blotting and electron microscopy for characterization
Prognostic utility
- Only a limited number investigated prognostic utility, few using GOS-E or evaluating long-term neurocognitive complications
Original publication
Extracellular vesicles as biomarkers in traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of animal and clinical studies. Crit Care. Published 24 July 2025. doi:10.
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