Abstract
BackgroundThe vast majority of hospital admitted patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) will have intracranial injury identified by neuroimaging, requiring qualified staff and hospital beds. Moreover, increased pressure in health care services is expected because of an aging population. Thus, a regular evaluation of characteristics of hospital admitted patients with TBI is needed. Oslo TBI Registry – Neurosurgery prospectively register all patients with TBI identified by neuroimaging admitted to a trauma center for southeast part of Norway. The purpose of this study is to describe this patient population with respect to case load, time of admission, age, comorbidity, injury mechanism, injury characteristics, length of stay, and 30-days survival.MethodsData for 5 years was extracted from Oslo TBI Registry – Neurosurgery. Case load, time of admission, age, sex, comorbidity, injury mechanism, injury characteristics, length of stay, and 30-days survival was compiled and compared.ResultsFrom January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2019, 2153 consecutive patients with TBI identified by neuroimaging were registered. The admission rate of TBI of all severities has been stable year-round since 2015. Mean age was 52 years (standard deviation 25, range 0–99), and 68% were males. Comorbidities were common; 28% with pre-injury ASA score of ≥3 and 25% used antithrombotic medication. The dominating cause of injury in all ages was falls (55%) but increased with age. Upon admission, the head injury was classified as mild TBI in 46%, moderate in 28%, and severe (Glasgow coma score ≤ 8) in 26%. Case load was stable without seasonal variation. Majority of patients (68%) were admitted during evening, night or weekend. 68% was admitted to intensive care unit. Length of hospital stay was 4 days (median, interquartile range 3–9). 30-day survival for mild, moderate and severe TBI was 98, 94 and 69%, respectively.ConclusionsThe typical TBI patients admitted to hospital with abnormal neuroimaging were aged 50–79 years, often with significant comorbidity, and admitted outside ordinary working hours. This suggests the necessity for all-hour presence of competent health care professionals.
Highlights
The vast majority of hospital admitted patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) will have intracranial injury identified by neuroimaging, requiring qualified staff and hospital beds
The international incidence of TBI in a general population is estimated as high as 369–790/100000 (James et al 2019; Feigin et al 2013), the vast majority being minimal and mild TBIs
During the five-year study period 2153 consecutive patients with TBI identified by neuroimaging were admitted to Oslo University Hospital (OUH) and included in this study
Summary
The vast majority of hospital admitted patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) will have intracranial injury identified by neuroimaging, requiring qualified staff and hospital beds. The international incidence of TBI in a general population is estimated as high as 369–790/100000 (James et al 2019; Feigin et al 2013), the vast majority being minimal and mild TBIs. Narrowing down to hospital admitted TBI, the incidence rate in high-income countries drops to 83–262/100000, with increasing fractions of moderate and severe TBIs (Peeters et al 2015; Pedersen et al 2015; Koskinen and Alaranta 2008; Rickels et al 2010; Heskestad et al 2009; Andelic et al 2008; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2019). Refining it even further to hospital admitted patients with abnormal traumatic intracranial findings on computed tomography (CT), the incidence rate in Scandinavian countries drops to 26–42/100000 (Pedersen et al 2015; Heskestad et al 2009; Andelic et al 2008)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
