Clinical characteristics associated with pediatric traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Brain CT is the mainstay in the diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics that can predict ICH on brain CT in pediatric TBI patients, to assist physicians in deciding on the use of brain CT.

METHODS: A total of 475 pediatric TBI patients who underwent brain CT within 24 h after injury from January 2012 to December 2021 in the level 1 trauma center in Thailand were included in this cross-sectional study. Clinical data and brain CT findings were collected. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate clinical characteristics that could predict ICH on brain CT in pediatric TBI patients. A p value was less than 0.05 being indicated that the difference is statistically significant. R software version 3.6.1 was used to statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The mean age of included cases was 7.7 years (interquartile range (IQR) 3.5 - 12.6 years). ICH was found in 98 (20.63%) pediatric patients based on brain CT findings. On multivariable analysis, high blunt energy injury (odds ratio (OR) = 2.79, 95% CI 1.27 - 6.11, p = 0.010), motor vehicle accidents (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.14 - 3.67, p = 0.017), Glasgow coma scale score <13 (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 1.87 - 9.78, p < 0.001), palpable skull fractures (OR = 7.30, 95% CI: 1.44 - 37.04, p = 0.016), signs of basilar skull fracture (OR = 6.10, 95% CI: 2.16 - 17.24, p < 0.001), and vomiting ≥ 3 times (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.17 - 5.77, p = 0.022) were statistically significant predictive factors for ICH in pediatric TBI patients.

CONCLUSION: These factors might aid clinicians in making an appropriate decision regarding the use of brain CT in pediatric TBI cases.