Mortality in Children With Severe Head Trauma: Predictive Factors and Proposal for a New Predictive Scale

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury is a public health problem around the world, and recognition of systemic sources of secondary brain lesions is crucial to improve outcome.

Objective: To identify the main predictors of mortality and to propose a grading scale to measure the risk of death.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on medical records of children with severe traumatic brain injury who were hospitalized at a level I pediatric trauma center between January 2000 and December 2005. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to identify independent factors related to mortality. A receiver-operating characteristics curve was performed to verify the accuracy of the multiple logistic regression, and associations that increased mortality were verified.

Results: We identified 315 children with severe head injury. Median Glasgow Coma Scale score was 6, and median Pediatric Trauma Score was 4. Global mortality rate was 30%, and deaths occurred despite adequate medical management within the first 48 hours in 79% of the patients. Age < 2 years (P = .02), Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 5 (P < 10), accidental hypothermia (P = .0002), hyperglycemia (P = .0003), and coagulation disorders (P = .02) were all independent factors predicting mortality. A prognostic scale ranging from 0 to 6 that included these independent factors was then calculated for each patient and resulted in mortality rates ranging from 1% with a score of 6 to 100% with a score of 0.

Conclusion: Independent and modifiable mortality predictors could be identified and used for a new grading scale correlated with the risk of mortality in pediatric traumatic brain injury.