title: Identifying Characteristics in Abusive Head Trauma: A Single-Institution Experience.
abstract: Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to better understand the trends centered on AHT patients treated at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. A retrospective study of 139 children undergoing treatment and management for traumatic brain injury due to abuse between January 2006 and April 2013 at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital was conducted. Caucasian males made up 61% and the youngest sibling represented 86.3% of our cohort. The median age was 5 months with injuries occurring during summertime and on weekdays, 31 and 63%, respectively. Seventy-nine percent were diagnosed with subdural hematomas, and 42% had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 8 or less. A total of 25 patients, median age 8.6 months, died during our study period. The results of this study describe the AHT population at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Future studies should prospectively assess this population to better understand social factors involved in AHT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn., USA.
authors.forename: Ashly C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Westrick
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monk
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greeno
authors.forename: Chevis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shannon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D035781:Siblings; D055815:Young Adult