Table 2. Clinical Characteristics of 366* Children with Traumatic Brain Injury Admitted to Seven Study Centers.
| Total | Center 1 | Center 2 | Center 3 | Center 4 | Center 5 | Center 6 | Center 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 366 | n = 74 | n = 95 | n = 22 | n = 80 | n = 43 | n = 25 | n = 27 | |
| N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | N(%) | |
| Age (years) mean[SD] | 8.7[5.0] | 8.4[4.5] | 9.1[5.3] | 10.7[3.8] | 7.7[5.3] | 9.9[5.8] | 7.7[3.5] | 7.9[4.1] |
| Gender | ||||||||
| Male | 213 (58.2) | 42 (56.8) | 51 (53.7) | 15 (68.2) | 45 (56.3) | 29 (67.4) | 16 (64.0) | 15 (55.6) |
| Injury mechanism | ||||||||
| Traffic accident | 155 (42.4) | 30 (40.5) | 40 (42.1) | 14 (63.6) | 27 (33.8) | 16 (37.2) | 10 (40.0) | 18 (66.7) |
| Fall from height | 114 (31.2) | 21 (28.4) | 19 (20.0) | 3 (13.6) | 36 (45.0) | 19 (44.2) | 12 (48.0) | 4 (14.8) |
| Fall from own height | 19 (5.2) | 4 (5.4) | 7 (7.4) | 1 (4.6) | 3 (3.8) | 2 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (7.4) |
| Strike | 41 (11.2) | 11 (14.9) | 13 (13.7) | 1 (4.6) | 10 (12.5) | 2 (4.7) | 1 (4.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Gunshot wound | 11 (3.0) | 2 (2.7) | 5 (5.3) | 2 (9.1) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Other / Unknown | 26 (7.1) | 6 (8.1) | 11 (11.6) | 1 (4.6) | 4 (5.0) | 2 (4.7) | 2 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Injury circumstance | ||||||||
| Child abuse | 5 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (7.4) |
| Intentional(no child abuse) | 15 (4.1) | 5 (6.8) | 6 (6.3) | 1 (4.6) | 2 (2.5) | 1 (2.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Accidental | 341 (93.2) | 67 (90.5) | 85 (89.5) | 21 (95.5) | 76 (95.0) | 42 (97.7) | 25 (100.0) | 25 (92.6) |
| Other / Unknown / Missing | 5 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) | 3 (3.2) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Glasgow coma scale score (admit motor) | ||||||||
| 1 | 78 (21.3) | 9 (12.2) | 27 (28.4) | 5 (22.7) | 16 (20.0) | 11 (25.6) | 7 (28.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| 2 | 10 (2.7) | 1 (1.4) | 4 (4.2) | 3 (13.6) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| 3 | 5 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.1) | 2 (9.1) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| 4 | 26 (7.1) | 3 (4.1) | 3 (3.2) | 6 (27.3) | 4 (5.0) | 2 (4.7) | 2 (8.0) | 6 (22.2) |
| 5 | 28 (7.7) | 3 (4.1) | 11 (11.6) | 1 (4.6) | 5 (6.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (29.6) |
| 6 | 157 (42.9) | 38 (51.4) | 36 (37.9) | 0 (0.0) | 49 (61.3) | 23 (53.5) | 3 (12.0) | 8 (29.6) |
| Unknown | 62 (16.9) | 19 (25.7) | 13 (13.7) | 5 (22.7) | 4 (5.0) | 7 (16.3) | 13 (52.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Head abbreviated injury severity score (AIS) | ||||||||
| 1 | 9 (2.5) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (32.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| 2 | 70 (19.1) | 16 (21.6) | 15 (15.8) | 4 (18.2) | 16 (20.0) | 15 (34.9) | 3 (12.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| 3 | 112 (30.6) | 27 (36.5) | 33 (34.8) | 5 (22.7) | 16 (20.0) | 17 (39.5) | 4 (16.0) | 10 (37.0) |
| 4 | 100 (27.3) | 14 (18.9) | 26 (27.4) | 5 (22.7) | 32 (40.0) | 7 (16.3) | 7 (28.0) | 9 (33.3) |
| 5 | 54 (14.8) | 14 (18.9) | 10 (10.5) | 7 (31.8) | 14 (17.5) | 2 (4.7) | 3 (12.0) | 4 (14.8) |
| 6 | 21 (5.8) | 3 (4.1) | 10 (10.5) | 1 (4.6) | 2 (2.5) | 2 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Injury severity score mean[SD] ** | 15.1[10.1] | 15.2[9.6] | 15.2[10.3] | 22.8[14.5] | 15.1[10.0] | 10.5[6.0] | 13.0[9.5] | 17.6[8.6] |
| Non-head MAXAIS | ||||||||
| 0 | 229 (62.6) | 48 (64.9) | 53 (55.8) | 7 (31.8) | 69 (86.3) | 32 (74.4) | 8 (32.0) | 12 (44.4) |
| 1 | 41 (11.2) | 11 (14.9) | 11 (11.6) | 3 (13.6) | 3 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) | 9 (36.0) | 4 (14.8) |
| 2 | 34 (9.3) | 3 (4.1) | 11 (11.6) | 3 (13.6) | 4 (5.0) | 7 (16.3) | 3 (12.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| 3 | 32 (8.7) | 6 (8.1) | 8 (8.4) | 6 (27.3) | 3 (3.8) | 2 (4.7) | 4 (16.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| 4 | 5 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (4.0) | 2 (7.4) |
| 5 | 4 (1.1) | 2 (2.7) | 1 (1.1) | 1 (4.6) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| 6 | 1 (0.3) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Missing | 20 (5.5) | 3 (4.1) | 10 (10.5) | 1 (4.6) | 1 (1.3) | 2 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Hospital stay (days)*** mean[SD] | 11.3[14.1] | 9.5[12.7] | 12.2[16.3] | 20.6[18.7] | 9.2[10.6] | 7.1[5.5] | 19.1[22.2] | 10.5[9.0] |
| Extracranial injury | ||||||||
| No | 329 (90.0) | 66 (89.2) | 80 (84.2) | 19 (86.4) | 78 (97.5) | 38 (88.4) | 24 (96.0) | 24 (88.9) |
| Yes | 16 (4.4) | 5 (6.8) | 5 (5.3) | 2 (9.1) | 1 (1.3) | 3 (7.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Missing | 21 (5.7) | 3 (4.1) | 10 (10.5) | 1 (4.6) | 1 (1.3) | 2 (4.7) | 1 (4.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Injury location | ||||||||
| Head/Face | 366 (100.0) | 74 (100.0) | 95 (100.0) | 22 (100.0) | 80 (100.0) | 43 (100.0) | 25 (100.0) | 27 (100.0) |
| Neck | 11 (3.0) | 2 (2.7) | 4 (4.2) | 3 (13.6) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Thorax | 48 (13.1) | 12 (16.2) | 14 (14.7) | 8 (36.4) | 4 (5.0) | 5 (11.6) | 4 (16.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Abdomen | 34 (9.3) | 8 (10.8) | 8 (8.4) | 5 (22.7) | 3 (3.8) | 2 (4.7) | 6 (24.0) | 2 (7.4) |
| Spine | 9 (2.5) | 1 (1.4) | 3 (3.2) | 3 (13.6) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (4.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Extremities | 57 (15.6) | 16 (21.6) | 16 (16.8) | 7 (31.8) | 5 (6.3) | 3 (7.0) | 4 (16.0) | 6 (22.2) |
| External and Other | 12 (3.3) | 1 (1.4) | 5 (5.3) | 2 (9.1) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (4.0) | 2 (7.4) |
| All head computed tomography diagnoses | ||||||||
| Epidural hematoma | 5 (1.4) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 1 (2.3) | 1 (4.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Subdural hematoma | 40 (10.9) | 13 (17.6) | 4 (4.2) | 5 (22.7) | 6 (7.5) | 4 (9.3) | 5 (20.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage | 25 (6.8) | 7 (9.5) | 6 (6.3) | 0 (0.0) | 9 (11.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (11.1) |
| Intracerebral hemorrhage | 11 (3.0) | 1 (1.4) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (9.1) | 3 (3.8) | 2 (4.7) | 2 (8.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Intraventricular hemorrhage | 16 (4.4) | 3 (4.1) | 5 (5.3) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (6.3) | 2 (4.7) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (3.7) |
| Contusion | 96 (26.2) | 32 (43.2) | 25 (26.3) | 5 (22.7) | 13 (16.3) | 3 (7.0) | 10 (40.0) | 8 (29.6) |
| Any surgery | ||||||||
| No | 258 (70.5) | 56 (75.7) | 71 (74.7) | 17 (77.3) | 50 (62.5) | 25 (58.1) | 16 (64.0) | 23 (85.2) |
| Yes | 108 (29.5) | 18 (24.3) | 24 (25.3) | 5 (22.7) | 30 (37.5) | 18 (41.9) | 9 (36.0) | 4 (14.8) |
| Decompressive craniectomy | ||||||||
| No | 344 (94.0) | 72 (97.3) | 91 (95.8) | 16 (72.7) | 75 (93.8) | 42 (97.7) | 21 (84.0) | 27 (100.0) |
| Yes | 19 (5.2) | 2 (2.7) | 4 (4.2) | 6 (27.3) | 5 (6.3) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| NA / Missing | 3 (0.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.3) | 2 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) |
*Among 366 study sample, 39% (N = 144) were identified as severe TBI patients (head AIS ≥ 3, abnormal head CT); 5% (N = 20) died at admission.
**Among 366 study sample, 20 patients died at admission had missing injury severity score (Center1 [N = 71]; Center2 [N = 85]; Center3 [N = 21]; Center4 [N = 79]; Center5 [N = 41]; Center6 [N = 25]; Center7 [N = 24])
***Among 366 study sample, 20 patients died at admission (their hospital LOS was assumed to be 1 day), and LOS could not be calculated for 1 patient due to missing discharge date (Center1 [N = 74]; Center2 [N = 94]; Center3 [N = 22]; Center4 [N = 80]; Center5 [N = 43]; Center6 [N = 25]; Center7 [N = 27])