Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2013 | Original Research
TBI surveillance using the common data elements for traumatic brain injury: a population study
Authors:
Latha Ganti Stead, Aakash N Bodhit, Pratik Shashikant Patel, Yasamin Daneshvar, Keith R Peters, Anna Mazzuoccolo, Sudeep Kuchibhotla, Christa Pulvino, Kelsey Hatchitt, Lawrence Lottenberg, Marie-Carmelle Elie-Turenne, Robyn M Hoelle, Abhijna Vedula, Andrea Gabrielli, Bayard D Miller, John H Slish, Michael Falgiani, Tricia Falgiani, J Adrian Tyndall, Emergency Medicine Traumatic Brain Injury Research Network Investigators
Published in:
International Journal of Emergency Medicine
|
Issue 1/2013
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Abstract
Background
To characterize the patterns of presentation of adults with head injury to the Emergency Department.
Methods
This is a cohort study that sought to collect injury and outcome variables with the goal of characterizing the very early natural history of traumatic brain injury in adults. This IRB-approved project was conducted in collaboration with our Institution’s Center for Translational Science Institute. Data were entered in REDCap, a secure database. Statistical analyses were performed using JMP 10.0 pro for Windows.
Results
The cohort consisted of 2,394 adults, with 40% being women and 79% Caucasian. The most common mechanism was fall (47%) followed by motor vehicle collision (MVC) (36%). Patients sustaining an MVC were significantly younger than those whose head injury was secondary to a fall (P < 0.0001). Ninety-one percent had CT imaging; hemorrhage was significantly more likely with worse severity as measured by the Glasgow Coma Score (chi-square, P < 0.0001). Forty-four percent were admitted to the hospital, with half requiring ICU admission. In-hospital death was observed in 5.4%, while neurosurgical intervention was required in 8%. For all outcomes, worse TBI severity per GCS was significantly associated with worse outcomes (logistic regression, P < 0.0001, adjusted for age).
Conclusion
These cohort data highlight the burden of TBI in the Emergency Department and provide important demographic trends for further research.