Affiliations: [a] Registered Clinical Psychologist & Doctoral Candidate, Department of Psychology & Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| [b] Associate Professor at St George, University of London, Medical Program at the University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
| [c] ICU Clinical Informatics Administrator, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus
| [d] Professor of Language Disorders and Clinical Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology & Director of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D., FASHA, FACRM, Professor of Psychology & Director of the Center for Applied Neuroscience, University Avenue 1, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus. Tel.: +357 22 89 2078; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is characterized by a highly heterogenous profile in terms of pathophysiology, clinical presentation and outcome. OBJECTIVE:This is the first population study investigating the epidemiology and outcomes of moderate-to-severe TBI in Cyprus. Patients treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Nicosia General Hospital, the only Level 1 Trauma Centre in the country, were recruited between January 2013 and December 2016. METHODS:This was an observational cohort study, using longitudinal methods and six-month follow-up. Patients (N = 203) diagnosed with TBI were classified by the Glasgow Coma Scale at the Emergency Department as moderate or severe. RESULTS:Compared to international multicentre studies, the current cohort demonstrates a different case mix that includes older age, more motor vehicle collisions and lower mortality rates. There was a significantly higher proportion of injured males. Females were significantly older than males. There were no sex differences in the type, severity or place of injury. Sex did not yield differences in mortality or outcomes or on injury indices predicting outcomes. In contrast, older age was a predictor of higher mortality rates and worse outcomes. CONCLUSION:Trends as described in the study emphasize the importance of continuous evaluation of TBI epidemiology and outcome in different countries.
Keywords: Traumatic Brain Injury, epidemiology, cohort study, mortality, sex
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