Correspondence (letter to the editor): Falls Are More Common Than Traffic Crashes

I was interested to read Firsching‘s excellent article on the treatment and prognosis of acute head injury (1). Unfortunately, however, he mentions only by implication age specific aspects and therefore differences in the topics addressed in the article. The cover image of the issue does not adequately reflect the current epidemiology of acute head injury. It suggests that acute head injury often affects young motorcyclists who are willing to take risks. Newer studies have found, however, that patients‘ age has risen continuously over recent years, and that, meanwhile, falls have taken over from traffic accidents as the most common causes of acute head injury (2, 3). Although claims have been made to the contrary, over the past two decades no reduction in mortality due to acute head injury has been observed, and neither have outcomes improved to any significant degree (2).

Demographic changes, as well as the associated epidemiological changes—including the associated particularities relating to acute head injury—have introduced even more complexity into the subject and therefore underline the relevance of this entity for future research.