Medicina Traslacional
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abstracto

Predictive Factors for Fatality after Traumatic Brain Injury among Road Traffic Crash Victims in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia

Zuriyash Mengistu*, Ahmed Ali, Teferi Abegaz

Background: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the common preventable causes of mortality and disability among road traffic victims worldwide, especially in low-and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia.

Objective: To determine risk factors of mortality after traumatic brain injury due to road traffic crashes.

Methods: This study was done based on a prospective cohort of 242 severe brain-injured patients using cluster sampling in Addis Ababa city hospitals. The study was conducted from February 2018 to November 2019. Data were collected from brain-injured patients using a structured questionnaire, survival analysis was considered for statistical analysis. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Addis Ababa university, college of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB). Confidentiality of information was maintained.

Result: A total of 242 patients aged ≥ 18 years and diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injury, 73 (30.2%) died. The majority 186 (81%) of TBI patients were men. The median age of TBI patients was 29 years. The hazard ratio for patients with subnormal body temperature was 4.36 times that of normal temperature AHR: 4.36 (2.14-10.29). Patient with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) three to five was 5.61 times higher hazard ratio of death compared to GCS six to eight (CI: 3.1-10.24).

Conclusion: In conclusion, there was high risk of (30.2%) early mortality among TBI patients in Ethiopia. Being men, young and lower GCS were associated with higher mortality hazards. Hence, greater attention is needed for patients who experienced subnormal temperature and low Glasgow Coma Scale.