Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis

The primary aim was to determine the clinical indicators for primary cranial CT imaging in patients after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The secondary aim was to evaluate the need for post-traumatic short-term hospitalization based on primary clinical and CT findings. This was an observational...

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Main Authors: Andreas Sakkas, Christel Weiß, Marcel Ebeling, Frank Wilde, Sebastian Pietzka, Qasim Mohammad, Oliver Christian Thiele, Robert Andreas Mischkowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-05-01
Series:Journal of Clinical Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/10/3563
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author Andreas Sakkas
Christel Weiß
Marcel Ebeling
Frank Wilde
Sebastian Pietzka
Qasim Mohammad
Oliver Christian Thiele
Robert Andreas Mischkowski
author_facet Andreas Sakkas
Christel Weiß
Marcel Ebeling
Frank Wilde
Sebastian Pietzka
Qasim Mohammad
Oliver Christian Thiele
Robert Andreas Mischkowski
author_sort Andreas Sakkas
collection DOAJ
description The primary aim was to determine the clinical indicators for primary cranial CT imaging in patients after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The secondary aim was to evaluate the need for post-traumatic short-term hospitalization based on primary clinical and CT findings. This was an observational retrospective single-centre study of all the patients who were admitted with mTBI over a five-year period. Demographic and anamnesis data, the clinical and radiological findings, and the outcome were analyzed. An initial cranial CT (CT0) was performed at admission. Repeat CT scans (CT1) were performed after positive CT0 findings and in cases with in-hospital secondary neurological deterioration. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and the patient’s outcome were evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis. A multivariable analysis was performed to find associations between the clinical variables and the pathologic CT findings. A total of 1837 patients (mean age: 70.7 years) with mTBI were included. Acute ICH was detected in 102 patients (5.5%), with a total of 123 intracerebral lesions. In total, 707 (38.4%) patients were admitted for 48 h for in-hospital observation and six patients underwent an immediate neurosurgical intervention. The prevalence of delayed ICH was 0.05%. A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of fracture were identified as clinical factors with significantly higher risk of acute ICH. None of the 110 CT1 presented clinical relevance. A GCS of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of cranial fractures should be considered absolute indicators for primary cranial CT imaging. The reported incidence of immediate and delayed traumatic ICH was very low and hospitalization should be decided individually considering both the clinical and CT findings.
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spelling doaj.art-c9c55245e07b4a0eae4790b0d48b3faa2023-11-18T01:55:09ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-05-011210356310.3390/jcm12103563Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective AnalysisAndreas Sakkas0Christel Weiß1Marcel Ebeling2Frank Wilde3Sebastian Pietzka4Qasim Mohammad5Oliver Christian Thiele6Robert Andreas Mischkowski7Department of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, GermanyMedical Statistics and Biomathematics, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 69167 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, German Armed Forces Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, GermanyInstitute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Ludwigshafen Hospital, 67063 Ludwigshafen, GermanyDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, Ludwigshafen Hospital, 67063 Ludwigshafen, GermanyDepartment of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial-Surgery, Ludwigshafen Hospital, 67063 Ludwigshafen, GermanyThe primary aim was to determine the clinical indicators for primary cranial CT imaging in patients after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The secondary aim was to evaluate the need for post-traumatic short-term hospitalization based on primary clinical and CT findings. This was an observational retrospective single-centre study of all the patients who were admitted with mTBI over a five-year period. Demographic and anamnesis data, the clinical and radiological findings, and the outcome were analyzed. An initial cranial CT (CT0) was performed at admission. Repeat CT scans (CT1) were performed after positive CT0 findings and in cases with in-hospital secondary neurological deterioration. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and the patient’s outcome were evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis. A multivariable analysis was performed to find associations between the clinical variables and the pathologic CT findings. A total of 1837 patients (mean age: 70.7 years) with mTBI were included. Acute ICH was detected in 102 patients (5.5%), with a total of 123 intracerebral lesions. In total, 707 (38.4%) patients were admitted for 48 h for in-hospital observation and six patients underwent an immediate neurosurgical intervention. The prevalence of delayed ICH was 0.05%. A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of fracture were identified as clinical factors with significantly higher risk of acute ICH. None of the 110 CT1 presented clinical relevance. A GCS of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of cranial fractures should be considered absolute indicators for primary cranial CT imaging. The reported incidence of immediate and delayed traumatic ICH was very low and hospitalization should be decided individually considering both the clinical and CT findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/10/3563intracranial hemorrhagecranial computer tomographymild traumatic brain injuryguidelines
spellingShingle Andreas Sakkas
Christel Weiß
Marcel Ebeling
Frank Wilde
Sebastian Pietzka
Qasim Mohammad
Oliver Christian Thiele
Robert Andreas Mischkowski
Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
Journal of Clinical Medicine
intracranial hemorrhage
cranial computer tomography
mild traumatic brain injury
guidelines
title Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
title_full Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
title_fullStr Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
title_short Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury—A Retrospective Analysis
title_sort clinical indicators for primary cranial ct imaging after mild traumatic brain injury a retrospective analysis
topic intracranial hemorrhage
cranial computer tomography
mild traumatic brain injury
guidelines
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/10/3563
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