title: The epidemiology of head trauma in Aquitaine (France), 1986: a community-based study of hospital admissions and deaths.
abstract: This paper reports the findings of a study of head trauma conducted over a one-year period within a defined region with a population of 2.7 million (Aquitaine, France). It includes cases resulting in death prior to hospitalization or requiring hospitalization. During the one-year period, 391 deaths and 8549 hospital admissions due to head trauma occurred, yielding an annual estimate of 8940 head-injured people. The immediate case-fatality rate was 4.4%. Among non-fatal cases, 80% were mild, 11% moderate and 9% severe. The overall annual incidence was 281/100,000 in both sexes (384 and 185/100,000 in males and females respectively). The annual death rate was 22/100,000 (33 and 12, respectively). Patterns of incidence by age and sex were in general agreement with earlier studies. The main causes of head trauma were traffic accidents (60%) and falls (33%). One-third of hospitalized patients had no injury other than the head trauma. The most frequently associated injuries were those involving extremities, whereas the most severe were those involving the abdomen. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) ranged from 4 to 66, with a mean of 9 and a median of 5. At the eighth day following injury, 25% of hospital-treated patients were still hospitalized and 2% had died. The outcome correlated well with the ISS.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Unité 258, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tiret
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hausherr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thicoipe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garros
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maurette
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Castel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hatton
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices