Prevalence of Mortality Following Traumatic Brain Injuries Considering Glasgow Coma Scale – Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injuries are external mechanical injuries that can cause damage to the scalp, skull, or brain tissue. These injuries are significant causes of mortality in low-income countries and can result in death and disability at all ages. The most common causes of traumatic brain injuries a traffic accident and fall. It is estimated that traumatic brain injuries account for 9% of all deaths worldwide and are directly related to the severity of the brain injury. This study aims to determine the mortality rate following traumatic brain injuries based on the level of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), age, gender, and causes of traumatic brain injuries.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study conducted at Aliabad University Hospital in Kabul City in 2022. Data was collected from hospital files of 618 patients aged 15 years and above using census sampling.
Findings: Out of the total 618 patients with traumatic brain injuries, 524 (84.8%) were male and 94 (15.2%) were female. Among them, 79 patients (12.8%) have died, with 61 (77.2%) being male and 18 (22.8%) being female. The highest occurrence of deaths occurred between the ages of 16-35 years (44.3%), and the most common causes were traffic accidents (53.2%). The mortality rates were 78.5% in GCS 3-8, 13.9% in GCS 9-12, and 7.6% in GCS 13-15.
Conclusion: Traumatic brain injury is a significant cause of mortality, and the severity of brain injury is directly related to the level of consciousness (GCS). The prevalence of deaths following traumatic brain injuries is 12.8%, with a higher occurrence in the 16-35 age groups and among males.