Epidemiology and Post-Discharge Resource Utilization of Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury in Geriatric Patients

Benchmark data on traumatic brain injury (TBI) are potentially confounded by morbidity and rehabilitation needs associated with coincident extracranial injuries. Using data on isolated head injuries from 13 trauma centers in Georgia over 3 years, we studied the epidemiology and natural history of isolated TBI in geriatric vs non-geriatric patients in order to identify potential areas for quality improvement. We identified 8 512 patients, 3 895 of whom were geriatric. Geriatric patients had higher baseline comorbidity burden, mostly presented after ground level falls, had higher mortality despite equivalent ICU admission rates, and had higher rates of post-discharge resource utilization than non-geriatric counterparts. Geriatric patients are more likely to require post-discharge services and/or facility placement, regardless of pre-injury functional status. These data highlight the importance of streamlined protocols that place an early focus on post-discharge needs and goals of care, informed by cohort-specific prognosis data.