title: Epidemiology of traumatic epidural hematoma in young age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidural hematoma (EDH) is a major traumatic brain injury and a potentially life-threatening condition, with the mortality rate in the young age group varying across studies. The aim of this analysis was to investigate the magnitude of traumatic EDH in young patients aged 0 year to 24 years in Queensland, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study patients presented to the emergency department of 14 public hospitals participating in the Queensland Trauma Registry during 2005 to 2007 and were diagnosed and admitted for treatment of EDH. Age group comparisons were performed for demographic, injury, treatment, operation details, and outcome-related variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 224 young patients with traumatic EDH. The most frequent cause of injury was a fall in the 0 year to 9 years age groups and road traffic crash in those aged 10 years to 24 years. Almost 81% of the EDH cases were due to accidental injury, 17% due to assault, with the remainder due to self-harm and undetermined intent. Skull fracture was present in 75% of the study patients. Neurosurgical operations were performed on 40%. The overall Injury Severity Score adjusted in-hospital mortality rate was 4.8%. The odds of in-hospital mortality was 2.5 (95% confidence interval, 0.8-8.2) compared with older patients (25-64 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the Injury Severity Score adjusted in-hospital mortality rates for young patients with EDH were 4.8%. Given the limited information on morbidity resulting from EDH, further analysis to examine modifiable factors for better management and to evaluate survivor's long-term health outcomes via a longitudinal follow-up study is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD), The University of Queensland, and Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. f.irie@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.forename: Robyne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Brocque
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kenardy
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bellamy
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tetsworth
authors.forename: Cliff
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollard
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult