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Table 1 Study population baseline characteristics

From: Traumatic brain injury patient volume and mortality in neurosurgical intensive care units: a Finnish nationwide study

 

NICU-1

(N = 206/year)

NICU-2

(N = 122/year)

NICU-3

(N = 111/year)

NICU--4

(N = 82/year)

NICU-5

(N = 61/year)

p-Value

Baseline characteristics

Age, median (IQR)

58 (46-68)

58 (45-70)

59 (49-69)

53 (35-65)

59 (44-67)

<0.001

 < 45

191 (23)

122 (25)

82 (18)

108 (33)

63 (26)

0.001

 45-75

517 (63)

285 (58)

293 (66)

183 (56)

148 (61)

 

 > 75

117 (14)

82 (17)

70 (16)

36 (11)

31 (13)

 

Severe co-morbidities*

55 (7)

37 (8)

45 (10)

35 (11)

14 (6)

0.046

GCS, median (IQR)

10 (6-13)

11 (6-14)

11 (7-14)

8 (3-14)

9 (5-13)

<0.001

 3-8

351 (43)

178 (36)

156 (35)

166 (51)

118 (49)

<0.001

 9-12

198 (24)

97 (20)

104 (23)

52 (16)

56 (23)

 

 13-15

276 (34)

214 (44)

185 (42)

109 (33)

68 (28)

 

Operative admission

308 (37)

169 (35)

127 (29)

136 (42)

91 (38)

0.002

Marshall CT

      

 DI I

9 (1)

48 (10)

24 (5)

40 (12)

21 (9)

<0.001

 DI II

229 (27)

175 (36)

158 (36)

112 (34)

85 (35)

 

 DI III

32 (4)

45 (9)

42 (9)

33 (10)

17 (7)

 

 DI IV

30 (4)

7 (1)

3 (1)

5 (2)

1 (0)

 

 EML or NEML

525 (64)

214 (44)

218 (49)

137 (42)

118 (49)

<0.001

APACHE II, median

15 (11-19)

16 (10-23)

16 (10-23)

19 (12-25)

19 (12-24)

<0.001

Treatment variables

Mechanically ventilated

668 (81)

256 (52)

231 (52)

239 (73)

207 (86)

<0.001

ICP monitored

138 (17)

74 (15)

83 (19)

117 (36)

60 (25)

<0.001

Lowest MAP, mmHg†

59 (50-67)

70 (64-78)

66 (59-75)

67 (60-74)

66 (60-72)

<0.001

Lowest PaO2, kPa‡

14.4 (11.4-19.5)

11.3 (9.7-13.2)

12.4 (10.2-16.2)

12.6 (10.3-15.6)

13.2 (10.7-16.7)

<0.001

Length of stay (days)

      

 Intensive care unit

2.3 (1.0-6.0)

1.4 (1.0-3.1)

1.2 (0.9-2.4)

2.0 (1.0-5.0)

2.9 (1.4-6.2)

<0.001

 Hospital

8.0 (4.0-14.0)

5.0 (2.0-13.0)

4.0 (3.0-7.0)

7.0 (4.0-12.0)

8.0 (4.0-13.0)

<0.001

TISS-76§

      

 Mean score

32 (26-37)

25 (21-31)

22 (17-30)

28 (21-35)

31 (25-35)

<0.001

 Total score

106 (50-259)

61 (40-121)

50 (31-79)

82 (41-219)

120 (57-249)

<0.001

Observed mortality

 30-day

139 (17)

84 (17)

76 (17)

49 (15)

59 (24)

0.046

 6-month

195 (24)

108 (22)

92 (21)

58 (18)

66 (27)

0.063

Mean (SD) predicted risk for death¶

 30-day

16.8 (17.4)

17.2 (20.8)

17.1 (19.3)

15.0 (17.1)

24.4 (22.6)

<0.001

 6-month

23.6 (20.9)

22.1 (23.5)

20.7 (21.4)

17.7 (19.4)

27.3 (23.7)

<0.001

  1. Continuous data are shown as median (IQR) and categorical data are shown as absolute numbers with percentages (%)
  2. Abbreviations: DI, Diffuse Injury; GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale (worst 24-h score); APACHE II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II; NICU, Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit; EML, Evacuated Mass Lesion; NEML, Non-Evacuated Mass Lesion; MAP, Mean Arterial Pressure; PaO2, arterial oxygen tension; ICP, Intracranial Pressure; TISS-76, Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System 76
  3. *Defined according to the APACHE II criteria as severe organ dysfunction. †Available for 2,187 of 2,328 patients. ‡Available for 2,249 of 2,328 patients. §Available for 2,300 of 2,328 patients. ¶Using a standard logistic regression model adjusting for age, GCS, Marshall CT, severe comorbidity and treatment hospital
  4. Marshall DI I indicates a normal admission head CT scan, Marshall DI II indicates any traumatic pathology with midline shift 0-5 mm, normal basal cisterns and no mass lesion >25 cm3, DI III indicates compressed or obliterated basal cisterns with midline shift 0-5 mm and no mass lesion >25 cm3, DI IV indicates midline shift >5 mm with no mass lesion >25 cm3, EML or NEML any mass lesion >25 cm3