Aptamer-based proteomics in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury: a pilot study

Temporally resolved aptamer-based plasma proteomics reveal dynamic shifts in brain-specific and systemic signaling after pediatric severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and correlate with short-term neurologic outcomes. We identify 634 proteins with significant temporal changes, including both established and novel biomarkers, and show that age is a major determinant of proteomic variability in patients with sTBI. This study demonstrates the feasibility and clinical potential of high-dimensional proteomic profiling for biomarker discovery, molecular phenotyping, and potential for outcome prediction, informing future precision medicine approaches in pediatric neurocritical care.