Can a Salivary Biomarker Differentiate TBI Severity?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is quite common and, because mild TBI usually lacks CT scan findings, can be diagnostically and prognostically challenging. Blood-based biomarkers reliably correlate with TBI diagnosis, and a serum biomarker assay is FDA-approved for use in determining the need to obtain a CT scan in suspected mild TBI. Preliminary evidence suggests that salivary biomarkers may be a less invasive alternative. To test this idea, researchers enrolled 57 patients with TBI presenting to a single emergency department and assessed the association between the biomarker S100B, measured in both blood and saliva, and TBI severity.