Traumatic brain injury in the Central Denmark Region 2014-2021.

Abstract

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The TBI population has changed in recent years. We aimed to characterise TBI patients treated at the major trauma centre in the Central Denmark Region from 2014 to 2021.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with TBI admitted by trauma team activation from 2014 to 2021. Patients were stratified according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale into mild TBI (mTBI), moderate to severe TBI (sTBI) and polytrauma TBI (pTBI).

Results: A total of 1,543 consecutive adult TBI patients were included. The median age peaked in 2021 at 55 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥ 65 years was 31.9%. In 2021, the incidence of sTBI was 7.8/105 inhabitants, and the incidence of pTBI was 3.1/105 inhabitants. From 2014 to 2021, the 30-day mortality of mTBI, sTBI and pTBI remained unchanged at 1.7%, 17.5% and 25.5%, respectively. During the study period, patients aged ≥ 65 years with sTBI and pTBI had an odds ratio for 30-day mortality of 4.98 and 2.23, respectively, compared to patients aged 16-64 years. In the entire cohort, road traffic collision was the most common mechanism of injury for mTBI (28.1%) and pTBI (28.8%), and fall injuries was the most common mechanism of injury for sTBI (43.3%).

Conclusions: The median age and the proportion of elderly TBI is rising. From 2014 to 2021, the 30-day mortality of mTBI, sTBI and pTBI remained unchanged at 1.7%, 17.5% and 25.5%, respectively. Fall injuries cause more than a third of all TBI.

Funding: Department funding only.

Trial registration: The Central Denmark Region and the Hospital Board of Directors approved the study (reference 1-16-02-339-23).