Intracranial Hypertension and Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter (DENO)

Intracranial Hypertension Detection Using Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Measurement in Children

Intracranial hypertension (ICH) is a mortality risk factor in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), in purulent meningitis, in hepatic encephalopathy and in Reye's syndrome. It is also a risk factor for severe neurologic sequelae in survivors. Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is likely to guide therapeutics, and certain research on adults or on children, suggest that IH therapeutic approach, for instance for bacterial meningitis, would improve the prognosis. Two monitoring techniques are currently recommended. They are reference methods for ICP measure :

• monitoring with intraventricular catheter,
• intra-parenchymal monitoring using optical fiber catheter. Non invasive methods have been suggested, including ultrasound measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) which is the most interesting one. The ONSD measured ultrasonically is correlated with ICP level in adults with severe TBI. A diameter over 5,9 mm predicts ICH within the first 24 hours. In children, ONSD average values have been worked out, and an ONSD increase is found in children suffering from hydrocephalus with IH and in children with TBI. ICH precocious detection is fundamental in children sensitive to ICH because their cerebral development is not finished yet. Difficulties met for ICP monitoring implementation in infants and its invasive nature are often disliked by clinicians. A non-invasive exam is then essential to allow a better care of children with ICH in intensive care unit.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cerebral Stroke; Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: ONSD ultrasound

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 230
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Grenoble, France
    • Pediatric Critical Care Unit, CHU La Tronche
  • Rhône Alpes
    • Bron, Rhône Alpes, France, 69677
      • Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant ,Hospices Civils de Lyon

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 2 months to 16 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For the 97 patients:

• children from 2 months to 16 years
• in the intensive care unit
• TBI : moderate (GCS between 9 and 12) to severe (GCS <9), whatever the mechanism involved
• informed consent form signed by parents

Non inclusion Criteria:

• obesity (BMI > 97th percentile for the age)
• patient already under replacement therapy.
• patient taking AEDs
• patient with long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy
• history of neurological disease or learning difficulties
• no covered by a national health insurance

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: For the 97 patients; day 0: ultrasound of ONSD (= 4 measurements: 1 transverse and 1 sagittal for each eye) + transcranial Doppler at T-15 (15 minutes before ICP measurement), within 1h following ICP measurement, and one more measurement is to be done if significant ICP variations are noticed (variation over 15 mmHg during at least 5 minutes); day 1: ONSD ultrasound + transcranial Doppler in the morning and one more measurement is to be done if significant ICP variations are noticed (variation over 15 mmHg during at least 5 minutes); days 2 and 3 : same as day 1; when leaving the intensive care unit: Pediatric Overall Performance Category (POPC) scale	Other: ONSD ultrasound; Description of the ONSD ultrasound: ONSD is measured 3 mm behind the globe and perpendicularly to the optic nerve axis (2 dimensions mode). For each optic nerve, 2 measures are performed: 1 sagittal and 1 transverse. The patient is positioned in 30° dorsal elevation. Gel is applied on the eyelid and a 7,5 MHz probe is used. At the same time and on the same side, a transcranial Doppler is performed using a 2 MHz probe placed on the temple. Are measured: systolic velocity, mean velocity, diastolic velocity, resistance index and pulsatility index. As ONSD measures cannot be done blinded (regarding ICP monitoring), a centralised evaluation (by 2 experts) of the recorded sonograms is planned.
Other: For the control group; one single ONSD in addition to their usual care (4 measurements: 1 transverse and 1 sagittal for each eye) in the morning in absence of painful sensation	Other: ONSD ultrasound; Description of the ONSD ultrasound: ONSD is measured 3 mm behind the globe and perpendicularly to the optic nerve axis (2 dimensions mode). For each optic nerve, 2 measures are performed: 1 sagittal and 1 transverse. The patient is positioned in 30° dorsal elevation. Gel is applied on the eyelid and a 7,5 MHz probe is used. At the same time and on the same side, a transcranial Doppler is performed using a 2 MHz probe placed on the temple. Are measured: systolic velocity, mean velocity, diastolic velocity, resistance index and pulsatility index. As ONSD measures cannot be done blinded (regarding ICP monitoring), a centralised evaluation (by 2 experts) of the recorded sonograms is planned.
Other: For the learning curve; minimum 15 ONSD ultrasounds will be performed by each of the 15 intensive care doctor or interns expected. One ONSD ultrasound corresponds to 2 measurements: 1 transverse and 1 sagittal. Each volunteer will have maximum 30 ONSD ultrasound measures over a 1 month period.	Other: ONSD ultrasound; Description of the ONSD ultrasound: ONSD is measured 3 mm behind the globe and perpendicularly to the optic nerve axis (2 dimensions mode). For each optic nerve, 2 measures are performed: 1 sagittal and 1 transverse. The patient is positioned in 30° dorsal elevation. Gel is applied on the eyelid and a 7,5 MHz probe is used. At the same time and on the same side, a transcranial Doppler is performed using a 2 MHz probe placed on the temple. Are measured: systolic velocity, mean velocity, diastolic velocity, resistance index and pulsatility index. As ONSD measures cannot be done blinded (regarding ICP monitoring), a centralised evaluation (by 2 experts) of the recorded sonograms is planned.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Primary (sensitivity and specificity of echographic measurement of ONSD)	Sensitivity and specificity of echographic measurement of the ONSD (mean value of both eyes), taken 15 minutes ,before invasive ICP monitoring, regarding detection of ICH in children with neurological injury, as compared to reference method for ICH detection (ICP monitoring with intraventricular catheter).	To determine diagnostic performance (sensitivity and specificity) of ICH thanks to ultrasound measurement of ONSD, (15 minutes ,before invasive ICP monitoring)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Secondary outcome (1. To draw learning curves before the study begins to find out the number of ultrasound measurement needed)	value (mm) of the echographic ONSD measurement performed by the clinicians/interns (learning curve) compared to the value found by the trainer; mean value, standard deviation and quartiles of ONSD measures performed in a population of patients intubated, ventilated, sedated and without cerebral lesion (control group); Correlation between echographic ONSD values (mean of the values) and invasive ICP monitoring values (taken same day); Correlation between variations of ONSD measures and treatment effet on ICH; Comparison of diagnostic capacity of ONSD measurements depending on age, ICH etiology (bacterial meningitis, encephalitis meningitis, stroke, cerebral cerebral thrombophlebitis, TBI and patients from neurosurgery); determine diagnostic capacity of the measures performed with transcranial Doppler (resistance index, pulsatility index, systolic, mean and diastolic velocities) in the different pathologies and compare them to ONSD values	1. To draw learning curves before the study begins to find out the number of ultrasound measurement needed (day 0)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hospices Civils de Lyon
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Etienne JAVOUHEY, MD, HOPITAL FEMME MERE ENFANT HOSPICES CIVILS DE LYON

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Cour-Andlauer F, Portefaix A, Wroblewski I, Rabilloud M, Bordet F, Cogniat B, Didier C, Pouyau R, Valla FV, Kassai-Koupai B, Simeon G, Ginhoux T, Courtil-Teyssedre S, Javouhey E. Predictive Value of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter for Diagnosis of Intracranial Hypertension in Children With Severe Brain Injury. Front Pediatr. 2022 Jun 6;10:894449. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.894449. eCollection 2022.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 25, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 20, 2013
• First Posted (Estimated): February 21, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 4, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 27, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ultrasound; paediatrics; optic nerve sheath diameter
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Embolism and Thrombosis; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis; Thromboembolism; Stroke; Intracranial Thrombosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2010.598; 2010-A00890-39 (Other Identifier: ID-RCB)