TY - JOUR PY - 2008// TI - The prognostic value of injury severity, location of event, and age at injury in pediatric traumatic head injuries JO - Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment A1 - Arnarson, Eirikur Orn A1 - Gudmundsson, Kristinn R. A1 - Tómasson, K. A1 - Arnkelsson, Gudmundur B. A1 - Flekkoy, Kjell M. A1 - Halldorsson, Jonas G. SP - 405 EP - 412 VL - 4 IS - 2 N2 - AIMS: To estimate the prognostic value of injury severity, location of event, and demographic parameters, for symptoms of pediatric traumatic head injury (THI) 4 years later. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively from Reykjavik City Hospital on all patients age 0-19 years, diagnosed with THI (n = 408) during one year. Information was collected on patient demographics, location of traumatic event, cause of injury, injury severity, and ICD-9 diagnosis. Injury severity was estimated according to the Head Injury Severity Scale (HISS). Four years post-injury, a questionnaire on late symptoms attributed to the THI was sent. RESULTS: Symptoms reported were more common among patients with moderate/severe THI than among others (p < 0.001). The event location had prognostic value (p < 0.05). Overall, 72% of patients with moderate/severe motor vehicle-related THI reported symptoms. There was a curvilinear age effect (p < 0.05). Symptoms were least frequent in the youngest age group, 0-4 years, and most frequent in the age group 5-14 years. Gender and urban/rural residence were not significantly related to symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Motor vehicle related moderate/severe THI resulted in a high rate of late symptoms. Location had a prognostic value. Patients with motor vehicle-related THI need special consideration regardless of injury severity.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1176-6328 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -