• Junxin Shi, Huiyun Xiang, Krista Wheeler, Gary A Smith, Lorann Stallones, Jonathan Groner, and Zengzhen Wang.
• Center for Injury Research and Policy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
• Brain Inj. 2009 Jul 1;23(7):602-11.

Primary ObjectiveTo examine the hospitalization costs and discharge outcomes of US children with TBI and to evaluate a severity measure, the predictive mortality likelihood level.Research DesignData from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) were used to report the national estimates and characteristics of TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children < or =20 years of age. The percentage of children with TBI caused by motor vehicle crashes (MVC) and falls was calculated according to the predictive mortality likelihood levels (PMLL), death in hospital and discharge into long-term rehabilitation facilities. Associations with the PMLL, discharge outcomes and average hospital charges were examined.ResultsIn 2006, there were an estimated 58 900 TBI-associated hospitalizations among US children, accounting for $2.56 billion in hospital charges. MVCs caused 38.9% and falls caused 21.2% of TBI hospitalizations. The PMLL was strongly associated with TBI type, length of hospital stay, hospital charges and discharge disposition. About 4% of children with fall or MVC related TBIs died in hospital and 9% were discharged into long-term facilities.ConclusionThe PMLL may provide a useful tool to assess characteristics and treatment outcomes of hospitalized TBI children, but more research is still needed.

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