Consensus statements for the diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury and clinical integration of blood-based biomarkers in the Asia-Pacific region: a modified Delphi study.

backgroundTimely and accurate diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains challenging in acute care. In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, marked heterogeneity in healthcare infrastructure, computed tomography (CT) utilization, and diagnostic pathways underscores the need for practical, standardized approaches to assessment. Blood-based biomarkers, particularly glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), have shown promising diagnostic performance and have been incorporated into clinical pathways in other regions. However, their role in APAC emergency care workflows has not been systematically addressed. This study aimed to develop expert consensus on the definition, diagnosis, and clinical integration of these biomarkers into mTBI assessment across APAC.

methodsA structured modified Delphi process was employed, involving ten expert panelists representing emergency medicine, neurosurgery, and neurology from APAC countries including Australia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. A targeted literature review informed the development of 34 preliminary statements, consolidated into 11 statements covering mTBI definition, diagnostic approach, and biomarker integration. Panelists rated each statement using a 4-point Likert scale across two anonymous online voting rounds, with consensus defined as ≥ 70% agreement. Voting results were reviewed at a face-to-face meeting in Bangkok in May 2025, where statements were refined before Round 2 voting.

resultsAll 11 final consensus statements achieved agreement ratings of 90% to 100% following Round 2 voting. Seven statements reached 100% agreement and four achieved 90% agreement. Statements addressed definitions of TBI and mTBI, the adjunctive diagnostic role of GFAP and UCH-L1 within a 12-hour post-injury window, their utility in diagnostically challenging subgroups such as anticoagulated and intoxicated patients, and the continued primacy of clinical assessment and local imaging pathways in guiding triage, imaging, discharge, and follow-up decisions.

conclusionsThis modified Delphi study produced 11 high-consensus statements that provide a regional framework for the diagnosis of mTBI and for integration of GFAP and UCH-L1 into biomarker-supported assessment pathways across APAC. These biomarkers may help reduce avoidable CT imaging and support triage in selected patients when used as adjuncts to clinical assessment and established imaging decision-making. The statements are intended to support locally adapted protocols and future APAC-specific implementation and validation studies.