A population-based study of repetitive traumatic brain injury among persons with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to estimate and compare the hazards of repetitive traumatic brain injury (RTBI) events as a function of the index TBI severity, in a cohort of TBI hospital discharges include in the South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Follow-up Registry.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort.


METHODS
There were 4357 persons with TBI who were followed from the index hospital discharge through 31 December 2005 for RTBI events through the statewide hospital discharge (HD) and emergency department (ED) records. Prentice, Williams, Peterson total time/conditional probability model (PWP-CP) for recurrent events survival analysis was used to assess RTBI as a function of index TBI severity.


RESULTS
Index TBI severity approached significance in its relationship with RTBI, with persons with a severe index TBI experiencing events at a higher rate than those with a mild/moderate index TBI. Among the other covariates evaluated, epilepsy/seizure disorder, race, gender, payer status, cause of injury and having a prior history of TBI were associated with RTBI.


CONCLUSIONS
While TBI severity approached significance with RTBI, other variables, such as epilepsy/seizure disorder, seem to have a more significant relationship with RTBI.
Saunders
Lee L
LL
Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, 29425, USA. saundel@musc.edu
Selassie
Anbesaw W
AW
Hill
Elizabeth G
EG
Nicholas
Joyce S
JS
Horner
Michael David
MD
Corrigan
John D
JD
Lackland
Daniel T
DT
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices