View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Sensitivity and Specificity of Atropine Injection for Testing for Irreversible Loss of Brain Function: Experiences From 394 Examinations.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Sensitivity and Specificity of Atropine Injection for Testing for Irreversible Loss of Brain Function: Experiences From 394 Examinations.
Authors: Logemann, Frank (AUTHOR), Reimers, Carl D. (AUTHOR), Colosimo, Carlo (AUTHOR)
Source: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 2/15/2026, Vol. 2026, p1-6. 6p.
Subjects: Brain death, Sensitivity & specificity (Statistics), Diagnosis, Heart beat, Cerebral circulation, Neurologic examination
Abstract: Objectives: Testing for brain death/death by neurologic criteria includes proof of irreversible loss of all brain functions. Intravenously administered atropine can serve as a complementary clinical test. This study determines the cut‐off value, sensitivity, and specificity of the atropine test and examines implications for the safety of existing scientific guidelines. Methods: A prospective multicenter observational study included patients who received atropine (2 mg intravenously) as part of an investigation for brain death/death by neurologic criteria. Data from brain death/death by neurologic criteria protocols, vital signs records, and diagnostic reports were collected in order to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the atropine test per se and in comparison to the standard tests. Results: The study included 394 examinations in 257 patients (51.6 years, SD 16.3 years, 123 men, and 134 women) with suspected brain death/death by neurologic criteria. In brain‐dead patients, there was no increase in heart rate above 10 bpm (i.e., specificity of 100% of a positive atropine test > 10 bpm). Although of low sensitivity (17%) in proving residual brain function, the atropine test is twice as sensitive in revealing remaining brain functions as mandatory clinical tests (corneal, cough, and pupillary reflex p < 0.05, apnea test and unresponsiveness to pain p < 0.10). Conclusion: A cut‐off value of 10 bpm achieves very good specificity, but only low sensitivity. However, the sensitivity of the atropine test was more than twice as high as that of all mandatory tests. Therefore, we suggest considering the simple atropine test in brain death/death by neurologic criteria diagnostics at least where brain perfusion investigations are not used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Acta Neurologica Scandinavica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 191615149
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Sensitivity and Specificity of Atropine Injection for Testing for Irreversible Loss of Brain Function: Experiences From 394 Examinations.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Logemann%2C+Frank%22&quot;&gt;Logemann, Frank&lt;/searchLink&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Reimers%2C+Carl+D%2E%22&quot;&gt;Reimers, Carl D.&lt;/searchLink&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Colosimo%2C+Carlo%22&quot;&gt;Colosimo, Carlo&lt;/searchLink&gt; (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;JN&quot; term=&quot;%22Acta+Neurologica+Scandinavica%22&quot;&gt;Acta Neurologica Scandinavica&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 2/15/2026, Vol. 2026, p1-6. 6p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Brain+death%22&quot;&gt;Brain death&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Sensitivity+%26+specificity+%28Statistics%29%22&quot;&gt;Sensitivity &amp; specificity (Statistics)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Diagnosis%22&quot;&gt;Diagnosis&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Heart+beat%22&quot;&gt;Heart beat&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Cerebral+circulation%22&quot;&gt;Cerebral circulation&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Neurologic+examination%22&quot;&gt;Neurologic examination&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objectives: Testing for brain death/death by neurologic criteria includes proof of irreversible loss of all brain functions. Intravenously administered atropine can serve as a complementary clinical test. This study determines the cut‐off value, sensitivity, and specificity of the atropine test and examines implications for the safety of existing scientific guidelines. Methods: A prospective multicenter observational study included patients who received atropine (2 mg intravenously) as part of an investigation for brain death/death by neurologic criteria. Data from brain death/death by neurologic criteria protocols, vital signs records, and diagnostic reports were collected in order to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the atropine test per se and in comparison to the standard tests. Results: The study included 394 examinations in 257 patients (51.6 years, SD 16.3 years, 123 men, and 134 women) with suspected brain death/death by neurologic criteria. In brain‐dead patients, there was no increase in heart rate above 10 bpm (i.e., specificity of 100% of a positive atropine test &gt; 10 bpm). Although of low sensitivity (17%) in proving residual brain function, the atropine test is twice as sensitive in revealing remaining brain functions as mandatory clinical tests (corneal, cough, and pupillary reflex p &lt; 0.05, apnea test and unresponsiveness to pain p &lt; 0.10). Conclusion: A cut‐off value of 10 bpm achieves very good specificity, but only low sensitivity. However, the sensitivity of the atropine test was more than twice as high as that of all mandatory tests. Therefore, we suggest considering the simple atropine test in brain death/death by neurologic criteria diagnostics at least where brain perfusion investigations are not used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Acta Neurologica Scandinavica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191615149
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1155/ane/2583072
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 6
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Brain death
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sensitivity & specificity (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diagnosis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heart beat
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cerebral circulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neurologic examination
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Sensitivity and Specificity of Atropine Injection for Testing for Irreversible Loss of Brain Function: Experiences From 394 Examinations.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Logemann, Frank
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Reimers, Carl D.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Colosimo, Carlo
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 15
              M: 02
              Text: 2/15/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00016314
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
              Type: main
ResultId 1