Association between trauma center type and mortality for injured children with severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Background There is conflicting evidence regarding the relationship between trauma center type and mortality for children with traumatic brain injuries. Identification of mortality differences following brain injury across differing trauma center types may result in actionable quality improvement initiatives to standardize care for these children. Methods We utilized Trauma Quality Improvement Program data from 2017-2020 to identify children with severe traumatic brain injury managed at level I and II state- or American College of Surgeon-verified trauma centers. We used a random intercept multilevel logistic regression model to assess the relationship between exposure (trauma center type either adult, pediatric or mixed) and outcome (in-hospital mortality). Several secondary analyses were performed to assess the influence of trauma center volume, age strata and traumatic brain injury heterogeneity. Results There were 10,105 patients identified across 512 trauma centers. Crude mortality was 25.2%, 36.2% and 28.9% for pediatric, adult, and mixed trauma centers respectively. After adjustment for confounders, odds of mortality were higher for children managed at adult trauma centers (OR 1.67; 95% CI: 1.30 – 2.13) compared to pediatric trauma centers. Male sex, self-pay insurance status, and interfacility transfers, motor vehicle, pedestrian/ cyclist and firearm injury mechanisms, presence of concomitant abdomen, lower extremity, or chest injuries, midline shift >5 mm within 24 hours, presence of age-adjusted hypotension and either pupil asymmetry or non-reactivity were all associated with a greater odds of death. Adjustment for trauma volume and subgroup analysis using a homogenous traumatic brain injury subgroup did not change the demonstrated associations. Conclusions Our results suggest mortality was higher at adult trauma centers compared to mixed and pediatric trauma centers for children with traumatic brain injuries. Importantly, there exists the potential for unmeasured confounding. We aim for these findings to direct continuing quality improvement initiatives to improve outcomes for brain injured children. Level of Evidence III; Type of study: Prognostic/ epidemiological

Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment for Pediatric Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

“…Race was consid-ered an important variable to include based on known differences in withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment practices highlighted in adult patients with TBI. 21 Center-specific covariates included number of inpatient beds, hospital payment structure, trauma center type (adult, pediatric, or mixed), 25 and teaching status. Including these patient-and center-level fixed effects allowed adjustment for differences in case mix across centers.…”