PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - K-Y Hsiao
AU  - C-T Hsiao
AU  - H-H Weng
AU  - K-H Chen
AU  - L-J Lin
AU  - Y-M Huang
TI  - Factors predicting mortality in victims of blunt trauma brain injury in emergency department settings
AID  - 10.1136/emj.2007.053405
DP  - 2008 Oct 01
TA  - Emergency Medicine Journal
PG  - 670--673
VI  - 25
IP  - 10
4099  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/10/670.short
4100  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/10/670.full
SO  - Emerg Med J2008 Oct 01; 25
AB  - Objective: The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for mortality in patients brought to the emergency department (ED) after blunt traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods: The medical records of such patients who visited the ED from June 2004 to May 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Data (age, gender, initial Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores, initial vital signs, brain computed tomography scan findings and cause of trauma) were collected from the records of 204 TBI patients, who were treated at the ED and needed intensive care. Among these patients, 48 died in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital. Logistic regression was used to assess factors affecting mortality after trauma.Results: Age (odds ratio (OR) 1.04; 95% CI 1.01 to ∼1.07), GCS score less than 9 (OR 19.29; 95% CI 5.04 to ∼73.82) and skull bone fracture (OR 10.44; 95% CI 3.59 to ∼30.38) were identified as possible risk factors of mortality in TBI patients.Conclusion: These predictors appear to be clinically relevant and may help improve ED triage of TBI patients in need of ICU care.