Citation

Quayle KS, Holmes JF, Kuppermann N. New Engl. J. Med. 2014; 371(20): 1945-1947.

Affiliation

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO quayle@kids.wustl.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Massachusetts Medical Society)

DOI

10.1056/NEJMc1407902

PMID

25390756

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disabilities in children older than 1 year of age. Detailed data about head trauma in children are needed to better understand the rates and unique age-related risks of injury. We examined the characteristics of children with blunt head trauma from a large, prospective, observational study conducted in the United States through the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN).


We previously derived and validated prediction rules for clinically important traumatic brain injuries in children with minor blunt head trauma in 25 PECARN emergency departments from 2004 through 2006. . .

This prospective, multicenter study provides more detailed and representative clinical and radiographic information about the spectrum of traumatic brain injuries in children than is available in previous studies of administrative databases or from single institutions. Our findings may be useful in the development of future injury-prevention measures and age-stratified targeted interventions, such as campaigns to promote the use of bicycle helmets and automobile restraints.

Among more than 43,000 children treated in 25 emergency departments for blunt head trauma, traumatic brain injury was identified on CT scan in 7% of the patients. Falls were the most frequent injury mechanism for children under the age of 12 years.

Language: en