Antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents have minimal impact on traumatic brain injury incidence, surgery, and mortality in geriatric ground level falls: A multi-institutional analysis of 33,710 patients

xloma.fota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents have minimal impact on traumatic brain injury incidence, surgery, and mortality in geriatric ground level falls: A multi-institutional analysis of 33,710 patients Via Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery - Current Issue BACKGROUND Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and TBI-related deaths for older persons (age, ≥65 years). Antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant therapy (antithrombotics [ATs]) is generally felt to increase this risk, but the literature is inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of AT use on the rate, severity, and outcomes of TBI in older patients following ground level falls. METHODS Ground level fall patients from 90 hospitals' trauma registries were selected. Patients were excluded if younger than 65 years or had an Abbreviated Injury Scale score of >2 in a region other than head. Electronic medical record data for preinjury AT therapy were obtained. Patients were grouped by regimen for no AT, single, or multiple agents. Groups were compared on rates of diagnosed TBI, TBI surgery, and mortality. RESULTS There were 33,710 patients (35% male; mean age, 80.5 years; mean Glasgow Coma Scale, 14.6), with 47.6% on single or combination AT therapy. The proportion of patients with TBI diagnoses did not differ between those on no AT (21.25%) versus AT (21.61%; p = 0.418). Apixaban (15.7%; p View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.