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Abstract
Introduction: Intracranial hemorrhage is bleeding occurring in or around the brain. The severity can range from mild to fatal with a variety of lasting symptoms. The severity and outcome depends on a number of factors such as the location, treatment, and pre-existing patient conditions. Previous studies have been done observing comorbidities in patients, such as hypertension or diabetes, and their role in intracranial hemorrhages. The purpose of this project is to identify how pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, blood disorders, and more, influence the type and severity of intracranial hemorrhages.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a sample of 5524 patients with intracranial hemorrhages experienced from trauma. Data was collected from the Texas Emergency Department for patients admitted to the hospital due to trauma in 2020. Patients were categorized by the cause of injury, demographics, severity, outcomes, and more. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the frequency of each comorbidity and the severity of hemorrhage.
Results: In 2020, 4642 people arrived at the hospital with traumatic hemorrhages in the valley. The average age of those with traumatic intracranial hemorrhages was 49 years old, while the most common age group to experience traumatic intracranial hemorrhages were patients 65 years or older. In this sample, 53% people had subdural hemorrhages, 29% people had subarachnoid hemorrhages, 3% people had epidural hemorrhages, and 15% had hemorrhages involving other areas of the intracranial space such as the cerebellum or brainstem.
Of these patients, 35% of those with a traumatic hemorrhage, had been previously diagnosed with hypertension and 20% had been diagnosed with diabetes. A total of 259 fatalities from traumatic hemorrhages were also reported and the most common comorbidity occurring in these patients was hypertension as well.
Discussion: These preliminary results point to hypertension being correlated to a worse outcome of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages, due to that being the largest comorbidity occurring in patients whose traumatic hemorrhages were fatal. This information can be used to educate those with hypertension to avoid situations prone to head injuries, especially those 65 years and older since that age group was reported to obtain the most intracranial hemorrhages in 2020. Further statistical analysis must be completed to determine the significance of this correlation and exclude other confounding comorbidities that may be impacting a patient’s outcome.
Recommended Citation
Duddu, Sowmya; Paz, Julia; Argenal, Andrea; Bhatia, Sonya; Mourao, Nina; Sayers, Tori; Peiris, Manoj; Baker, Kelsey; and Gadad, Bharathi S., "The Effect of Co-morbid Chronic Illnesses on the Outcomes of Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in the Rio Grande Valley: A Retrospective Analysis" (2025). Research Symposium. 156.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/156
Included in
The Effect of Co-morbid Chronic Illnesses on the Outcomes of Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in the Rio Grande Valley: A Retrospective Analysis
Introduction: Intracranial hemorrhage is bleeding occurring in or around the brain. The severity can range from mild to fatal with a variety of lasting symptoms. The severity and outcome depends on a number of factors such as the location, treatment, and pre-existing patient conditions. Previous studies have been done observing comorbidities in patients, such as hypertension or diabetes, and their role in intracranial hemorrhages. The purpose of this project is to identify how pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, blood disorders, and more, influence the type and severity of intracranial hemorrhages.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a sample of 5524 patients with intracranial hemorrhages experienced from trauma. Data was collected from the Texas Emergency Department for patients admitted to the hospital due to trauma in 2020. Patients were categorized by the cause of injury, demographics, severity, outcomes, and more. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the frequency of each comorbidity and the severity of hemorrhage.
Results: In 2020, 4642 people arrived at the hospital with traumatic hemorrhages in the valley. The average age of those with traumatic intracranial hemorrhages was 49 years old, while the most common age group to experience traumatic intracranial hemorrhages were patients 65 years or older. In this sample, 53% people had subdural hemorrhages, 29% people had subarachnoid hemorrhages, 3% people had epidural hemorrhages, and 15% had hemorrhages involving other areas of the intracranial space such as the cerebellum or brainstem.
Of these patients, 35% of those with a traumatic hemorrhage, had been previously diagnosed with hypertension and 20% had been diagnosed with diabetes. A total of 259 fatalities from traumatic hemorrhages were also reported and the most common comorbidity occurring in these patients was hypertension as well.
Discussion: These preliminary results point to hypertension being correlated to a worse outcome of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages, due to that being the largest comorbidity occurring in patients whose traumatic hemorrhages were fatal. This information can be used to educate those with hypertension to avoid situations prone to head injuries, especially those 65 years and older since that age group was reported to obtain the most intracranial hemorrhages in 2020. Further statistical analysis must be completed to determine the significance of this correlation and exclude other confounding comorbidities that may be impacting a patient’s outcome.
