Abstract
Aim
Three million cases of paediatric traumatic brain injury (pTBI) occur annually, the majority of which occur in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is a paucity of data on the outcomes of pTBI available. We aimed to systematically review and synthesise the reported morbidity and mortality from pTBI in the published literature about LMICs.
Method
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, and Global Index Medicus were searched for relevant articles from January 2000 to May 2020. Observational or experimental studies on pTBI (individuals between the ages of 0 to 16 years) in LMICs were included. Morbidity data were descriptively analysed, and a random-effects model was used to pool mortality rates. PROSPERO ID: CRD42020171276.
Results
We included 145 studies from 38 countries representing 174073 patients with pTBI. Males were twice (95% CI: 1.6 – 2.4) as likely to have a pTBI than females. Where available, mild TBI represented ≥ 60% of all pTBI cases in most reports (n = 24/43, 56%). The commonest cited cause of pTBI was road traffic accidents (n = 16643/43083, 39%), followed by falls (n = 10927/43083, 25%). 4385 patients (n = 4385/18092, 24%) had a reduction from normal function on discharge. On average, there were 6.7 deaths per 100 cases of pTBI.
Conclusions
Only 38 LMICs have published data on the volume and burden of pTBI in their country. Limited data available suggests that young male children are at a high-risk of pTBIs in LMICs, particularly from road traffic accidents.
Effective interventions in road traffic accidents among the young and novice drivers of low and middle-income countries: A scoping review
