Does head CT scan pathology predict outcome after mild traumatic brain injury?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: More evidence is needed to forward our understanding of the key determinants of poor outcome after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). A large, prospective, national cohort of patients was studied to analyse the effect of head CT scan pathology on the outcome. METHODS: One-thousand two-hundred and sixty-two patients with MTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 15) at 39 emergency departments completed a study protocol including acute head CT scan examination and follow-up by the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) at 3 months after MTBI. Binary logistic regression was used for the assessment of prediction ability. RESULTS: In 751 men (60%) and 511 women (40%), with a mean age of 30 years (median 21, range 6-94), we observed relevant or suspect relevant pathologic findings on acute CT scan in 52 patients (4%). Patients aged below 30 years reported better outcome both with respect to symptoms and GOSE as compared to patients in older age groups. Men reported better outcome than women as regards symptoms (OR 0.64, CI 0.49-0.85 for ≥3 symptoms) and global function (OR 0.60, CI 0.39-0.92 for GOSE 1-6). CONCLUSIONS: Pathology on acute CT scan examination had no effect on self-reported symptoms or global function at 3 months after MTBI. Female gender and older age predicted a less favourable outcome. The findings support the view that other factors than brain injury deserve attention to minimize long-term complaints after MTBI.

Mild head injury: reliability of early computed tomographic findings in triage for admission.

OBJECTIVE: To search the literature for case reports on adverse outcomes in patients with mild head injury where acute computed tomography (CT) findings had been normal. METHODS: Mild head injury was defined as head trauma involving amnesia or loss of consciousness, but where neurological findings are normal on arrival at hospital (GCS 15). The scientific literature was systematically searched for case reports where an early CT was normal and the patient deteriorated within two days. In these cases, early discharge despite a normal CT head scan would have been hazardous. RESULTS: Two prospective studies were found that investigated the safety of early CT in 3300 patients with mild head injury, as were 39 reports on adverse outcomes describing 821 patients. In addition, 52 studies containing over 62 000 patients with mild head injury were reviewed. In total, only three cases were deemed to have experienced an early adverse outcome despite a normal CT and GCS 15 on initial presentation. In another eight cases with incomplete descriptions, the interpretation was doubtful. Many reports of complications were not relevant to our question and excluded. These reports included cases with more severe head injury/not GCS 15 at presentation, complications that occurred after more than two days, or initial CT findings that were not fully normal. CONCLUSION: Very few cases were found where an early adverse event occurred after normal acute CT in patients with mild head injury. The strongest scientific evidence available at this time shows that a CT strategy is a safe way to triage patients for admission.

Mild head injury: observation or computed tomography? Economic aspects by literature review and decision analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the costs of two strategies for acute management of mild head injury: inhospital observation compared with acute computed tomography (CT) and home care. METHODS: Studies comparing costs for the two strategies that seem to have similar outcomes for patients were systematically reviewed. A decision tree analysis to compare the costs was also constructed, based on Swedish national costs and the risks found in a recent review on mild head injury complications. RESULTS: No studies were found that directly measured and compared risks, benefits, and costs of the two strategies. In the four studies retrieved, involving 4126 patients, the costs for hospital observation were factual, but a model was used to evaluate costs for the CT strategy. On average, costs were one third lower with CT. Also, the decision tree analysis demonstrated that the CT strategy was one third less expensive than inhospital observation. A sensitivity analysis showed this to be valid for nearly all cases. If these calculations hold true, a change of strategy could result in annual savings of pound 280,000/million inhabitants. CONCLUSION: The CT strategy seems to cost one third less than hospital observation.

Mild head injury - mortality and complication rate: meta-analysis of findings in a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Whether the strategy for care of mild head injury should be in-hospital observation or computed tomography (CT) investigation and home care has been discussed lately. A necessary requirement for guidelines and the design of clinical trials would be knowledge about the risks of the condition. These have not been reliably summarised. The study aims to estimate as accurately as possible the mortality, the complication rates, and the frequency of pathological findings on CT in patients with mild head injury. METHODS: Mild head injury was defined as head trauma involving loss of consciousness or amnesia, but where neurological findings on arrival at hospital are normal (GCS 15). Large databases were searched to find relevant scientific literature, and the retrieved studies were critically appraised. Findings were used from all representative patient data sets that met predefined standards for minimum quality. Meta-analysis using the random-effects model was performed on the data collected. FINDINGS: The search yielded 24 studies on 24249 patients fulfilling the requirements. The mean mortality of patients was low, 0.1% (CI 0.05-0.15). Complications, mostly requiring surgery, occurred in 0.9% (CI 0.6-1.2) of the cases. In approximately 8% (CI 6.1-9.5), pathological CT findings, dominated by haemorrhages, were identified in the acute phase. CONCLUSIONS: Of 1000 patients arriving at hospital with mild head injury, 1 will die, 9 will require surgery or other intervention, and about 80 will show pathological findings on CT. At least these 8% of patients will probably need in-hospital care.

Primary brain tumors following traumatic brain injury--a population-based cohort study in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the association between traumatic brain injury and brain tumor development. METHODS: A cohort of patients hospitalized for traumatic brain injury during 1965-1994 was compiled using the Swedish Inpatient Register. Complete follow-up through 1995 was attained through record linkage with the Swedish Cancer Register, the Cause of Death Register, and the Emigration Register. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), defined as the ratios of the observed to the expected numbers of brain tumors, were used as the measure of relative risk. The expected number of brain tumors was calculated by multiplying the observed person-time by age-, gender- and calendar year-specific incidence-rates derived from the general Swedish population. RESULTS: The cohort included 311,006 patients contributing 3,225,317 person-years. A total of 281 cases of brain tumors were diagnosed during follow-up. No associations were found between traumatic brain injury and the risk of primary brain tumors, neither overall (SIR: 1.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9-1.2), nor in analyses broken down by main groups of brain tumors. Stratified analyses according to age at entry into the cohort, year of follow-up, and severity of the brain injury all showed essentially the same null results. CONCLUSION: No association between traumatic head injury and primary brain tumors has been found.

Management of minor head injuries in emergency departments in Sweden. Time for a new strategy?

OBJECTIVE: To study how patients with minor head injuries are currently managed. DESIGN: Questionnaire to senior residents in emergency departments and data from registers covering all in-hospital care in Sweden. SETTING: All 92 emergency departments in Sweden. RESULTS: The response rate to the questionnaire was 100%. In Sweden, 75 emergency departments treat patients with minor head injuries. Four departments are paediatric. General surgeons are the main providers (87%) of care for patients with minor head injuries. All hospitals admit patients with a history of unconsciousness or amnesia. Skull radiography is not used routinely. The estimated use of computed tomography (CT) varies between 2% and 80%, the mean being 22%. The need for CT, or the result thereof, is not the deciding factor for admission. In 1996, 16877 patients were treated as inpatients for minor head injuries, (191/100000 inhabitants). The admission rates varied widely among departments, and the total figures have been constant since 1987. The mean hospital stay was 1.6 days, so a large number of hospital days are consumed. The resources more than cover routine CT investigations for those seeking care, and hospital care for those with abnormal findings or special needs. CONCLUSION: In Sweden, patients with minor head injuries are routinely admitted to hospital for observation. The estimated use of CT varies considerably. No clinics report using CT to triage patients for admission, a strategy that would be consistent with effectiveness and economic arguments.

[Computed tomography as an alternative to observation in brain concussion]. / Datortomografi alternativ till observation vid hjärnskakning.

In Sweden, patients with minor head injury (i.e., history of loss of consciousness or posttraumatic amnesia) are routinely admitted for neurological observation. The article reports the results of a small study of current clinical practices at St Göran's Hospital in Stockholm, and briefly reviews published reports of different management strategies. The findings suggest that computed tomography scanning might constitute better management than routine hospitalisation, both medically and economically. However, further investigation from a Swedish perspective is needed before any evidence-based recommendations can be made.