Incidence and outcome of traumatic brain injury in an urban area in Western Europe over 10 years.
BACKGROUND
Valid epidemiological data on incidence and outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) show great variability. A study on incidence, severity and outcome of TBI was conducted in an urban area of one million inhabitants.


METHODS
130,000 prehospital emergencies were screened for TBI.


METHODS
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score <or=8 and/or Abbreviated Injury Scale for head injuries (AIS(head)) score >or=2 with confirmed TBI via appropriate diagnostics.


RESULTS
Annual incidence was 7.3/100,000. Overall mortality rate was 45.8%: 182 (28%) were prehospital deaths, 116 (17.8%) patients died in hospital. Two hundred and fourteen of 352 (60.8%) surviving patients were sufficiently rehabilitated at discharge [Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score = 1], but 138 patients (39.2%) survived with persisting deficits. GOS was associated with initial GCS and AIS(head).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of TBI was lower compared to the literature. The overall mortality was high, especially prehospital and early in-hospital mortality rates.
Maegele
M
M
Department of Surgery, Cologne-Merheim Medical Center, University of Witten-Herdecke, Cologne, Germany. Marc.Maegele@t-online.de
Engel
D
D
Bouillon
B
B
Lefering
R
R
Fach
H
H
Raum
M
M
Buchheister
B
B
Schaefer
U
U
Klug
N
N
Neugebauer
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014505:Urban Population