Epidemiology of Traumatic Brain Injury After Small-Wheeled Vehicle Trauma in Utah.
BACKGROUND
Recreational use of small-wheeled vehicles (SWVs), which include skateboards, longboards, nonmotorized scooters, ice skates, and roller skates or rollerblades, results in numerous injuries in the United States.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the nature and severity of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that result from the use of SWVs in Utah.


METHODS
Patients who were admitted to any Utah hospital after a SWV-related injury from 2001 through 2010 were identified from the Utah State Trauma Registry. Patients who sustained TBI were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes.


RESULTS
Of 907 patients admitted with SWV injury, 392 (43%) had a TBI (85% male). Their mean age was 19.8 ± 0.5 years, including 234 (60%) aged ≤18 and 119 (30%) aged 19 to 29. Most patients sustained TBI while using a skate- or longboard (87%). Mean Glasgow Coma Scale score in the emergency department was 12.8 ± 0.2. Thirty-nine percent were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 6% (23) underwent emergent neurosurgical intervention. Thirty-three (8.4%) patients had a concussion; the rest had nonoperative intracranial hemorrhage. Among patients for whom helmet use data were available, 8 out of 291 (2.7%) patients with TBI were wearing a helmet, whereas 24 out of 190 (12.6%) non-TBI patients were wearing helmets (P < .001). Overall mortality was higher in TBI patients than in non-TBI patients (2.3% vs 0.2%, P = .003).


CONCLUSIONS
Young people, especially males, who ride SWVs in Utah are at risk for serious TBI, admission to the intensive care unit, neurosurgical intervention, and death. Helmet use in these patients is likely rare, but may reduce the risk of TBI and death.


BACKGROUND
ED, emergency departmentSWV, small-wheeled vehicleTBI, traumatic brain injury.
*Division of Trauma, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; ‡Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; §Department of Emergency Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sarah
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Majercik
Suzanne
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Day
Mark H
MH
Stevens
Joel D
JD
MacDonald
Joseph
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Bledsoe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003422:Critical Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012306:Risk; D012861:Skating / Q000293:injuries*; D014589:Utah / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult