• Marek Majdan, Walter Mauritz, Alexandra Brazinova, Martin Rusnak, Johannes Leitgeb, Ivan Janciak, and Ingrid Wilbacher.
• Faculty of Health Care and Social Work, Department of Public Health, Trnava University, Hornopotocna 23, Trnava, Slovakia. mmajdan@igeh.org
• Brain Inj. 2011 Jan 1;25(9):797-805.

IntroductionMost epidemiological studies and reports have reached a consensus on the leading causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite the fact that the area of TBI is relatively well studied, reports on differences in severity and outcome of TBI with different causes are lacking.GoalThis paper analyses the differences in severity and in short- and long-term outcome of TBIs with different causes.MethodThis study analysed data on 1109 patients with severe TBI by dividing them into three injury-cause groups: 'traffic-related', 'falls' and 'other causes'. Severity and outcome was evaluated using chosen direct and indirect indicators.ResultsThe most severe trauma occurred in the traffic-related group followed by falls and injuries with other causes. On the other hand, patients with traffic-related TBI had the best outcome. Age improves the outcome in the traffic-related group significantly. However, in the multivariate analysis after adjusting for age (and other important predictors including level of care) the odds for favourable long-term outcome stayed significantly higher in the traffic-related group.ConclusionsIt is concluded that the causes of TBI should be considered by both clinicians and public health professionals as a lead in prognosis of outcome and policy planning.

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