Bicycle helmets work when it matters the most.
BACKGROUND
Helmets are known to reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) after bicycle-related accidents. The aim of this study was to assess the association of helmets with severity of TBI and facial fractures after bicycle-related accidents.


METHODS
We performed an analysis of the 2012 National Trauma Data Bank abstracted information of all patients with an intracranial hemorrhage after bicycle-related accidents. Regression analysis was also performed.


RESULTS
A total of 6,267 patients were included. About 25.1% (n = 1,573) of bicycle riders were helmeted. Overall, 52.4% (n = 3,284) of the patients had severe TBI, and the mortality rate was 2.8% (n = 176). Helmeted bicycle riders had 51% reduced odds of severe TBI (odds ratio [OR] .49, 95% confidence interval [CI] .43 to .55, P < .001) and 44% reduced odds of mortality (OR .56, 95% CI .34 to .78, P = .010). Helmet use also reduced the odds of facial fractures by 31% (OR .69, 95% CI .58 to .81, P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Bicycle helmet use provides protection against severe TBI, reduces facial fractures, and saves lives even after sustaining an intracranial hemorrhage.
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Electronic address: bjoseph@surgery.arizona.edu.
Bellal
B
Joseph
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Asad
A
Azim
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Ansab A
AA
Haider
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Narong
N
Kulvatunyou
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Terence
T
O'Keeffe
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Ahmed
A
Hassan
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Lynn
L
Gries
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Emily
E
Tran
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Rifat
R
Latifi
Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, Critical Care, and Burns, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Peter
P
Rhee
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries*; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Bicycle; Facial fracture; Head injury; Helmets