Critical Emergency Department Interventions and Clinical Deterioration in Children With Nonsevere Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE

Substantial practice variation exists in the management of children with nonsevere traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH). A comprehensive understanding of rates and timing of clinically important tICH, including critical interventions and deterioration, along with associated clinical and neuroradiographic characteristics, will inform accurate risk stratification.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of children aged younger than 18 years evaluated in the emergency department (ED) from May 1, 2014 to February 28, 2020 with tICH and initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of higher than 8. We determined rates of clinically important tICH after injury and within 96 hours of ED arrival, defined as immediate ED interventions (intubation, hyperosmotic agents, or neurosurgery within 4 hours of arrival) or clinically important deterioration (signs/symptoms with change in management). Associations between outcome and clinical and neuroradiographic characteristics were calculated using individual logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Our sample included 135 children. Clinically important tICH was observed in 13.3% (n = 18); 9 (6.7%) underwent immediate ED interventions and 9 (6.7%) developed deterioration. Most (93.3%, n = 127) presented with an initial GCS ≥ 14, including all children who later deteriorated. Initial GCS ( P = 0.001) and nonaccidental trauma ( P = 0.024) mechanism were associated with the outcome. None of the 71 (52.6%) children with initial GCS ≥ 14, isolated, nonepidural hemorrhage after accidental injury developed clinically important tICH.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically important tICH occurred in 13% of children with nonsevere tICH, and 7% of children who did not undergo immediate ED interventions later deteriorated, all of whom had an initial GCS ≥ 14. However, a subgroup of children was identified as low risk based on clinical and neuroradiographic characteristics.