Epidemiology and outcomes of traumatic brain injury in Korean children according to age and development

Objective:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of death and disability in children. Understanding the epidemiologic characteristics of TBI in children is the first step for developing preventative strategies, optimizing care systems, and rehabilitating the injury.
Method:
This is a cross-sessional study based on the Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance (EDIIS) in Korea. We identified children (aged 0 to 18 years) who presented with TBI in emergency departments between January 2011 and December 2018. Subjects were classified into four groups according to age and development: infant and toddler group (0-2 years), pre-school group (3-5 years), school-aged group (6-11 years), and adolescent group (12-18 years). Epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes were compared according to age groups, and temporal variability in incidence was evaluated.
Results:
During the 8-year study period, 45,734 children with TBI were included in the analysis. A higher incidence of TBI was observed in males, road accidents, and school/educational facilities as compared to the lesser-aged group (all P<0.01). Motor vehicle collisions were more common in the older group, but falls were more common in the younger group. Compared to the infant/toddler group, the adolescent group had higher intracranial injuries (8.1% vs. 16.8%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-2.0) and mortality rate (0.2% vs. 1.3%; AOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.0).
Conclusion:
The epidemiological characteristics of TBI in children are different for each group. It is necessary to develop differentiated preventative strategies and treatment systems based on the age groups of children.

Key words: Epidemiology, Traumatic brain injuries, Pediatrics, Children