Analysis of Mortality and Epidemiology in 2617 Cases of Traumatic Brain Injury : Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System 2010-2014

Seung Yoon Song; Sang Koo Lee; Ki Seong Eom; KNTDB Investigators

doi:10.3340/jkns.2016.59.5.485

Analysis of Mortality and Epidemiology in 2617 Cases of Traumatic Brain Injury : Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System 2010-2014

J Korean Neurosurg Soc. 2016 Sep;59(5):485-91. doi: 10.3340/jkns.2016.59.5.485. Epub 2016 Sep 8.

Authors

Seung Yoon Song¹, Sang Koo Lee², Ki Seong Eom³; KNTDB Investigators

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.; Korea Neuro-Trauma Data Bank Committee, Korean Neurotraumatology Society, Korea.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea.; Korea Neuro-Trauma Data Bank Committee, Korean Neurotraumatology Society, Korea.

Abstract

Objective: The aims of the Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System (KNTDBS) are to evaluate and improve treatment outcomes for brain trauma, prevent trauma, and provide data for research. Our purpose was to examine the mortality rates following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a retrospective study and to investigate the sociodemographic variables, characteristics, and causes of TBI-related death based on data from the KNTDBS.

Methods: From 2010 to 2014, we analyzed the data of 2617 patients registered in the KNTDBS. The demographic characteristics of patients with TBI were investigated. We divided patients into 2 groups, survivors and nonsurvivors, and compared variables between the groups to investigate variables that are related to death after TBI. We also analyzed variables related to the interval between TBI and death, mortality by region, and cause of death in the nonsurvivor group.

Results: The frequency of TBI in men was higher than that in women. With increasing age of the patients, the incidence of TBI also increased. Among 2617 patients, 688 patients (26.2%) underwent surgical treatment and 125 patients (4.7%) died. The age distributions of survivors vs. nonsurvivor groups and mortality rates according the severity of the brain injury, surgical treatment, and initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were statistically significantly different. Among 125 hospitalized nonsurvivors, 70 patients (56%) died within 7 days and direct brain damage was the most common cause of death (80.8%). The time interval from TBI to death differed depending on the diagnosis, surgical or nonsurgical treatment, severity of brain injury, initial GCS score, and cause of death, and this difference was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Using the KNTDBS, we identified epidemiology, mortality, and various factors related to nonsurvival. Building on our study, we should make a conscious effort to increase the survival duration and provide rapid and adequate treatment for TBI patients.

Keywords: Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System; Mortality; Traumatic brain injury.