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

Background: Head trauma is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in emergency departments. It is essential to understand the factors leading to intracranial hemorrhage (IH) in order to improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with IH in patients presenting to the emergency department with head trauma. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted between 27 February 2019 and 27 February 2020 at the emergency department of Eskisehir Osmangazi University. Patients aged ≥18 years with head trauma were included. Data were collected from medical records, with follow-up information obtained via telephone or hospital revisits. Analyses were performed using the chi-squared test in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 21), with p < 0.05 being considered significant. Results: Of the 556 patients, 59.7% were male, and 40.3% were female, with an average age of 45.9 years (SD 21.5). Intracranial hemorrhage (IH) was more prevalent in patients aged over 60 years, with comorbidities, taking medication (especially anticoagulants and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants [NOACs]), with altered consciousness, pathological neurological findings or experiencing non-minor trauma. Prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and new or increased hemorrhage on follow-up CT scans were associated with IH. Conclusions: Advanced age, comorbidities, and anticoagulant use were key factors associated with intracranial hemorrhage (IH) in patients with head trauma. Further studies should assess predictors of mortality and outcomes.