According to new research, adults with any type of head injury During the 30-year study period there was a mortality rate twice as high as in those without the disease, and the death rate in those with moderate or severe head injuries was almost three times higher.
The study’s findings were published in the journal JAMA Neurology.
In the United States, more than 23 million adults age 40 and older report a history of head trauma that resulted in loss of consciousness. Head injuries can have a number of causes, from motor vehicle accidents, unintentional falls, or sports injuries. Furthermore, the head injury was linked to certain long-term health conditionsincluding disability, late-onset epilepsy, dementia, and stroke.
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Previous studies have shown increased short-term mortality associated with head injury mainly in hospitalized patients. This longitudinal study evaluated 30 years of data from more than 13,000 community-dwelling participants (those not hospitalized or living in nursing homes) to determine whether head trauma affects mortality rates. mortality in adults over the long term. The investigators found that 18.4% of participants reported having one or more head injuries during the study period, and of those with head injuries, 12.4% reported moderate or heavy. The mean time interval between head injury and death was 4.7 years.
All-cause mortality was reported in 64.6% of those with a head injury and 54.6% of those without a head injury. Taking into account participant characteristics, the investigators found that the all-cause mortality rate among participants with head injuries was 2.21 times higher than the mortality rate in those without head injuries. head injury. Furthermore, the mortality rate among people with more severe head injuries was 2.87 times that of those without head injuries.
“Our data show that head injury is associated with even long-term increased mortality. This is particularly the case for people with multiple or severe head injuries,” said lead author of the study. study, explains Holly Elser, MD, PhD, MPH, resident in the Department of Neurology. at Penn. “This highlights the importance of safety measures, such as helmets and seat belts, to prevent head injuries.”
The investigators also assessed cause-specific mortality data for all participants. Overall, the most common causes of death are cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders (including dementia, epilepsy, and stroke). Among those with head trauma, death from neurological disorders and unintentional injury or trauma (such as a fall) occurs more frequently.
When investigators assessed specific neurological causes of death in participants with head injuries, they found that nearly two-thirds of neurological deaths were due to neurodegenerative diseases. neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These diseases account for a higher overall mortality rate in people with head injuries (14.2%) than in those without (6.6%).
Andrea LC said: “The study data do not explain why the cause of death in people with head injuries is more likely to be due to neurodegenerative diseases, which highlights the need for further research. more on the relationship between these disorders, head injury, and mortality.” Schneider, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Neurology at Penn.
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