Victor G. Coronado

Incidence, risk factors and prevention of mild traumatic brain injury: Results of the WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE We undertook a best-evidence synthesis on the incidence, risk factors and prevention of mild traumatic brain injury. METHODS Medline, Cinahl, PsycINFO and Embase were searched for relevant articles. After screening 38,806 abstracts, we critically reviewed 169 studies on incidence, risk and prevention, and accepted 121 (72%). RESULTS The accepted articles show that 70-90% of all treated brain injuries are mild, and the incidence of hospital-treated patients with mild traumatic brain injury is about 100-300/100,000 population. However, much mild traumatic brain injury is not treated at hospitals, and the true population-based rate is probably above 600/100,000. Mild traumatic brain injury is more common in males and in teenagers and young adults. Falls and motor-vehicle collisions are common causes. CONCLUSION Strong evidence supports helmet use to prevent mild traumatic brain injury in motorcyclists and bicyclists. The mild traumatic brain injury literature is of varying quality, and the studies are very heterogeneous. Nevertheless, there is evidence that mild traumatic brain injury is an important public health problem, but we need more high-quality research into this area.

Methodological issues and research recommendations for mild traumatic brain injury: the WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Neurotrauma Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury performed a comprehensive search and critical review of the literature published between 1980 and 2002 to assemble the best evidence on the epidemiology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury. Of 743 relevant studies, 313 were accepted on scientific merit and comprise our best-evidence synthesis. The current literature on mild traumatic brain injury is of variable quality and we report the most common methodological flaws. We make recommendations for avoiding the shortcomings evident in much of the current literature and identify topic areas in urgent need of further research. This includes the need for large, well-designed studies to support evidence-based guidelines for emergency room triage of children with mild traumatic brain injury and to explore more fully the issue of prognosis after mild traumatic brain injury in the elderly population. We also advocate use of standard criteria for defining mild traumatic brain injury and propose a definition.

Trends in Traumatic Brain Injury in the U.S. and the public health response: 1995-2009

PROBLEM Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a public health problem in the United States. In 2009, approximately 2.4 million [corrected] patients with a TBI listed as primary or secondary diagnosis were hospitalized and discharged alive (N=300,667) or were treated and released from emergency departments (EDs; N=2,077,350), outpatient departments (ODs; N=83,857), and office-based physicians (OB-P; N=1,079,338). In addition, 52,695 died with one or more TBI-related diagnoses. METHODS Federal TBI-related laws that have guided CDC since 1996 were reviewed. Trends in TBI were obtained by analyzing data from nationally representative surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). FINDINGS CDC has developed and is implementing a strategy to reduce the burden of TBI in the United States. Currently, 20 states have TBI surveillance and prevention systems. From 1995-2009, the TBI rates per 100,000 population increased in EDs (434.1 vs. 686.0) and OB-Ps (234.6 vs. 352.3); and decreased in ODs (42.6 vs. 28.1) and in TBI-related deaths (19.9 vs. 16.6). TBI Hospitalizations decreased from 95.5 in 1995 to 77.9 in 2000 and increased to 95.7 in 2009. CONCLUSIONS The rates of TBI have increased since 1995 for ED and PO visits. To reduce of the burden and mitigate the impact of TBI in the United States, an improved state- and territory-specific TBI surveillance system that accurately measures burden and includes information on the acute and long-term outcomes of TBI is needed.

The CDC traumatic brain injury surveillance system: characteristics of persons aged 65 years and older hospitalized with a TBI.

ObjectiveTo examine the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of older persons (ie, those aged 65–74, 75–84, and ≥ 85 years) hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI). MethodsData from the 1999 CDC 15-state TBI surveillance system were analyzed. ResultsIn 1999, there were 17,657 persons 65 years and older hospitalized with TBI in the 15 states for an age-adjusted rate of 155.9 per 100,000 population. Rates among persons aged 65 years or older increased with age and were higher for males. Most TBIs resulted from fall- or motor vehicle (MV)-traffic-related incidents. Most older persons with TBI had an initial TBI severity of mild (73.4%); however, the proportions of both moderate and severe disability for those discharged alive and of in-hospital mortality were relatively high (23.5%, 9.7%, and 12%, respectively). Persons who fell were also more likely to have had 3 or more comorbid conditions than were those who sustained a TBI from an MV-traffic incident. ConclusionsTBI is a substantial public health problem among older persons. As the population of older persons continues to increase in the United States, the need to design and implement proven and cost-effective prevention measures that focus on the leading causes of TBI (unintentional falls and MV-traffic incidents) becomes more urgent.

Epidemiology of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death, and in a recent analysis it was found that nearly one-third of all injury-related deaths in the US have at least one diagnosis of TBI (CDC-Quickstats, 2010). This chapter presents the burden of TBI as regards age group, gender, costs, race, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Injury trends over a 15 year period are examined. Rehabilitation estimates and disability estimates are also available. Through good epidemiology we can better understand the causes of TBI and design more effective intervention programs to reduce injury. Important sources of evidence for this chapter include mostly studies from the US because of their leading work in the epidemiology of this important injury.

Vaccines for Children Program, United States, 1997

Objectives. 1) To determine the proportion of preschool children receiving immunizations from providers enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program; 2) to assess whether their immunization providers serve as their medical home for primary care; and 3) to examine the relationship between various provider characteristics and immunization status. Design.  Two-phase national survey consisting of parent interviews verified by provider record check. Setting. A total of 78 survey areas (50 states, the District of Columbia, and 27 urban areas). Patients or Other Participants. Noninstitutionalized children from 19 to 35 months of age in 1997. Interventions. None. Outcome Measures. VFC penetration rate (the percentage of children who received all or some vaccines from a VFC-enrolled provider); the frequency with which children received all or some vaccines within a medical home; the number of parent-reported immunization providers; and 4:3:1:3 up-to-date status at 19 to 35 months of age. Results. Of 28 298 children interviewed for whom consent to contact providers was obtained, complete provider data were available for 21 522 (76%). Of these children, ∼75% received all or some immunizations from a VFC-enrolled provider, 73% received all or some immunizations within a medical home, and 75% had one immunization provider. Children received all or some immunizations from a VFC-enrolled provider more frequently when vaccinated by pediatricians versus family physicians or in public facilities versus private practice. After controlling for poverty, immunization coverage varied only slightly with receipt of vaccines from a VFC-enrolled provider, receipt of vaccines within a medical home, and the number of parent-reported providers. Among children vaccinated within a medical home, those vaccinated solely by pediatricians were 1.63 times as likely to be 4:3:1:3 up-to-date than were those vaccinated solely by family physicians after removing the effects of poverty. Recommendations. Greater numbers of children are likely to benefit from an even higher participation rate among immunization providers in the VFC program, particularly among family physicians and private physicians. The public–private collaboration developed by the VFC program should be capitalized on so that public sector resources can help pediatricians and family physicians practice according to theStandards for Pediatric Immunization Practices.

Vaccine Recommendations for Patients on Chronic Dialysis

Pediatric patients on dialysis should receive all the vaccines currently recommended by the ACIP and the AAP for healthy children, except the oral polio vaccine (34, 35). Adult patients should receive the hepatitis B vaccine series, pneumococcal vaccine, yearly influenza vaccinations, tetanus-diphtheria toxoids, and varicella vaccine, if they are susceptible (33, 48, 69). Vaccines are well tolerated by these patients (33), but higher doses and/or additional boosters may be required periodically to adequately protect dialysis patients from vaccine-preventable diseases (33, 36, 37, 82, 83). Following vaccination, antibody concentrations for hepatitis B vaccine should be measured annually and booster doses administered when antibody concentrations fall below protective levels (33, 38). Although both children and adults on dialysis may show an impaired and/or delayed immunologic response to certain antigens, particularly hepatitis B virus and S. pneumoniae, appropriate immunizations can significantly reduce the risk of serious complications from vaccine-preventable diseases (11, 84). Because the protection these vaccines provide may be incomplete or transient, infection control strategies at hospitals and other health care facilities should be implemented simultaneously. Health care providers are encouraged to assess each patients need for vaccinations individually and formulate immunization strategies early in the course of progressive renal disease, ideally before the patient requires dialysis.

Trends in Sports- and Recreation-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Treated in US Emergency Departments: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) 2001-2012.

Importance:Sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries (SRR-TBIs) are a growing public health problem affecting persons of all ages in the United States. Objective:To describe the trends of SRR-TBIs treated in US emergency departments (EDs) from 2001 to 2012 and to identify which sports and recreational activities and demographic groups are at higher risk for these injuries. Design:Data on initial ED visits for an SRR-TBI from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) for 2001-2012 were analyzed. Setting:NEISS-AIP data are drawn from a nationally representative sample of hospital-based EDs. Participants:Cases of TBI were identified from approximately 500 000 annual initial visits for all causes and types of injuries treated in EDs captured by NEISS-AIP. Main Outcome Measure(s):Numbers and rates by age group, sex, and year were estimated. Aggregated numbers and percentages by discharge disposition were produced. Results:Approximately 3.42 million ED visits for an SRR-TBI occurred during 2001-2012. During this period, the rates of SRR-TBIs treated in US EDs significantly increased in both males and females regardless of age (all Ps < .001). For males, significant increases ranged from a low of 45.8% (ages 5-9) to a high of 139.8 % (ages 10-14), and for females, from 25.1% (ages 0-4) to 211.5% (ages 15-19) (all Ps < .001). Every year males had about twice the rates of SRR-TBIs than females. Approximately 70% of all SRR-TBIs were reported among persons aged 0 to 19 years. The largest number of SRR-TBIs among males occurred during bicycling, football, and basketball. Among females, the largest number of SRR-TBIs occurred during bicycling, playground activities, and horseback riding. Approximately 89% of males and 91% of females with an SRR-TBI were treated and released from EDs. Conclusion and Relevance:The rates of ED-treated SRR-TBIs increased during 2001-2012, affecting mainly persons aged 0 to 19 years and males in all age groups. Increases began to appear in 2004 for females and 2006 for males. Activities associated with the largest number of TBIs varied by sex and age. Reasons for the reported increases in ED visits are unknown but may be associated with increased awareness of TBI through increased media exposure and from campaigns, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Heads Up. Prevention efforts should be targeted by sports and recreational activity, age, and sex.

US population estimates of health and social outcomes 5 years after rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury.

Objective:To estimate the number of adults in the United States from 2006 to 2012 who manifest selected health and social outcomes 5 years following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that required acute inpatient rehabilitation. Design:Secondary data analysis. Setting:Acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Participants:Patients 16 years and older receiving acute inpatient rehabilitation for a primary diagnosis of TBI. Main Outcome Measures:Mortality, functional independence, societal participation, subjective well-being, and global outcome. Results:Annually from 2001 to 2007, an average of 13 700 patients aged 16 years or older received acute inpatient rehabilitation in the United States with a primary diagnosis of TBI. Approximately 1 in 5 patients had died by the 5-year postinjury assessment. Among survivors, 12% were institutionalized and 50% had been rehospitalized at least once. Approximately one-third of patients were not independent in everyday activities. Twenty-nine percent were dissatisfied with life, with 8% reporting markedly depressed mood. Fifty-seven percent were moderately or severely disabled overall, with 39% having deteriorated from a global outcome attained 1 or 2 years postinjury. Of those employed preinjury, 55% were unemployed. Poorer medical, functional, and participation outcomes were associated with, but not limited to, older age. Younger age groups had poorer mental and emotional outcomes. Deterioration in global outcome was common and not age-related. Conclusions:Significant mortality and morbidity were evident at 5 years postinjury. The deterioration in global outcomes observed regardless of age suggests that multiple influences contribute to poorer outcomes. Public health interventions intended to reduce post–acute inpatient rehabilitation mortality and morbidity rates will need to be multifaceted and age-specific.

Point of Health Care Entry for Youth With Concussion Within a Large Pediatric Care Network

IMPORTANCE Previous epidemiologic research on concussions has primarily been limited to patient populations presenting to sport concussion clinics or to emergency departments (EDs) and to those high school age or older. By examining concussion visits across an entire pediatric health care network, a better estimate of the scope of the problem can be obtained. OBJECTIVE To comprehensively describe point of entry for children with concussion, overall and by relevant factors including age, sex, race/ethnicity, and payor, to quantify where children initially seek care for this injury. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this descriptive epidemiologic study, data were collected from primary care, specialty care, ED, urgent care, and inpatient settings. The initial concussion-related visit was selected and variation in the initial health care location (primary care, specialty care, ED, or hospital) was examined in relation to relevant variables. All patients aged 0 to 17 years who received their primary care from The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias (CHOP) network and had 1 or more in-person clinical visits for concussion in the CHOP unified electronic health record (EHR) system (July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2014) were selected. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Frequency of initial concussion visits at each type of health care location. Concussion visits in the EHR were defined based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes indicative of concussion. RESULTS A total of 8083 patients were included (median age, 13 years; interquartile range, 10-15 years). Overall, 81.9% (95% CI, 81.1%-82.8%; n = 6624) had their first visit at CHOP within primary care, 5.2% (95% CI, 4.7%-5.7%; n = 418) within specialty care, and 11.7% (95% CI, 11.0%-12.4%; n = 947) within the ED. Health care entry varied by age: 52% (191/368) of children aged 0 to 4 years entered CHOP via the ED, whereas more than three-quarters of those aged 5 to 17 years entered via primary care (5-11 years: 1995/2492; 12-14 years: 2415/2820; and 15-17 years: 2056/2403). Insurance status also influenced the pattern of health care use, with more Medicaid patients using the ED for concussion care (478/1290 Medicaid patients [37%] used the ED vs 435/6652 private patients [7%] and 34/141 self-pay patients [24%]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The findings suggest estimates of concussion incidence based solely on ED visits underestimate the burden of injury, highlight the importance of the primary care setting in concussion care management, and demonstrate the potential for EHR systems to advance research in this area.