Evaluation of Factors Associated with Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Head Trauma: A Prospective Observational Study

Head trauma is among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in emergency departments. Therefore, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the factors that adversely affect the prognosis of head trauma patients and lead to intracranial hemorrhage (IH). Ensuring timely and effective intervention in this patient group is crucial for improving survival rates and reducing healthcare costs. This study aimed to investigate cases presenting to the emergency department with head trauma and evaluate the factors influencing the presence of IH in this patient group. This prospective observational study was conducted between February 27, 2019, and February 27, 2020, at the *. The study included patients aged ≥ 18 years who presented with head trauma. Data were obtained from the patients’ medical records. Follow-ups were conducted through telephone interviews or by reviewing medical records of patients who revisited the hospital. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square test in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 21). The statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. Among the 556 patients included in the study, 59.7% were male, and 40.3% were female. The mean age of the patients was 45.9 ± 21.5 years (range: 18–94). IH was more frequently detected in patients aged > 60 years, those with chronic diseases, patients taking medications (particularly anticoagulants and novel oral anticoagulants [NOACs]), those presenting with altered consciousness, patients with pathological findings in the central nervous system examination, and those with non-minor head trauma. Prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time and the presence of increased or newly developed hemorrhage on follow-up brain computed tomography scans were found to be associated with IH. Advanced age, the presence of comorbidities, medication use, anticoagulant therapy, NOAC use, and pathological findings on physical examination were identified as factors associated with IH in head trauma patients. However, further comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate factors influencing mortality and outcomes in IH.