The following is a summary of “Peri-injury symptomatology as predictors of brain computed tomography (CT) scan abnormalities in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI),” published in the November 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Vasista et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to identify predictors of brain CT abnormalities in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).  

They assessed adult patients with mTBI (Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) 13–15) who had experienced the injury within 24 hours.  

The results showed that 2,548 (91%) individuals underwent a brain CT scan, and 698 (27%) exhibited abnormal findings. The most common CT abnormalities were bleeding (638, 25%) and fractures (190, 7.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified several significant predictors of brain CT abnormalities, including older age (P < 0.0001), male sex (P < 0.0001), loss of consciousness (P = 0.0041), associated vomiting (P = 0.0011), alteration of consciousness (AOC) (P = 0.0102), and GCS score (P < 0.0001) and the model demonstrated an R₂ value of 14.   

Investigators concluded that older age, male sex, loss or alteration of consciousness, lower GCS score, and associated vomiting were significant predictors of abnormal brain CT findings in patients with mTBI, suggesting limitations in current clinical decision rules and the need for improved risk stratification. 

Source: intjem.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12245-024-00754-7