EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most important causes of death in patients under the age of 25 and is responsible for one third of all injury-related deaths. Therefore, knowledge of the epidemiological picture of this injury in different populations is vital. Thus, the purpose of this study is to study the epidemiological picture of TBI in emergency departments. Methods. In this cross- sectional study, the profiles of 1,000 victims were analyzed. Patients with TBI were selected using a simple random sample. This study looked at variables such as demographic data, time of year, mechanism of injury, concomitant injuries, level of consciousness, duration of hospitalization, computed tomography (CT) results, need for surgery, admission to the intensive care unit, and patient outcome. As a result, independent risk factors for patient death were identified. Results. 1000 patients suffering from (81.8% of men; average age 38.5±21.7 years) were examined. The frequency of their visits to the hospital in the spring (31.4%) was higher (p<0.01). In 45.9% of patients, the level ofconsciousness was below 9 points on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Subdural (45.9%) and epidural bleeding (23.7%) were the most frequent CT scan results in this study (p<0.001). As a result, 233 (23.3%) patients died. Independent risk factors for death in TBI were age over 60, falls and motorcycle accidents, intracranial hemorrhage accompanied by brain contusion, subdural bleeding, BCC less than 9 and the need for hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Conclusion. Age over 60 years, falls and motorcycle accidents, intracranial hemorrhage accompanied by brain contusion, subdural bleeding, BCC less than 9 and the need forhospitalization in the intensive care unit were independent risk factors for death in patients with TBI.