Efficacy of hypertonic saline versus mannitol in adult patients with severe head trauma: systematic review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36097/rgcs.v3i1.3213

Keywords:

traumatic brain injury, elevated intracranial pressure, hypertonic saline solution, mannitol, adult

Abstract

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, and hyperosmolar solutions have been used to treat it without a standardized choice. The efficacy of hypertonic saline solution (HSS) was compared with mannitol (MTL) in adult patients with severe or potentially severe moderate TBI, evaluating the decrease in intracranial pressure, level of consciousness, and serum osmolarity concentration to identify whether one is superior to the other. Nine articles that met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria were included, with a total of 979 participants and sample sizes ranging from 20 to 502; the bias of the articles was analyzed using scales. HHS is superior in terms of efficacy compared to LTM due to its sustained mechanism of action over time and lower recurrence of episodes of intracranial hypertension.

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Published

2026-01-31

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Issue

Section

Review articles

How to Cite

Expósito, A., Silva, A. N., Capelo, N. M., Zamora, C. F., & Cuji, D. G. (2026). Efficacy of hypertonic saline versus mannitol in adult patients with severe head trauma: systematic review. Revista Gregoriana De Ciencias De La Salud, 3(1), 186-202. https://doi.org/10.36097/rgcs.v3i1.3213

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