Helmet use in preventing acute concussive symptoms in recreational vehicle related head trauma. Brain Injury, 2019
Helmet use in preventing acute concussive symptoms in recreational vehicle related head trauma
Marco Daverio, Franz E Babl, Ruth Barker, Dario Gregori, Liviana Da Dalt & Silvia Bressan
Pages 335-341, Brain Injury. Published online: 22 Jan 2018
https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2018.1426107
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Helmets use has proved effective in reducing head trauma (HT) severity in children riding non-motorised recreational vehicles. Scant data are available on their role in reducing concussive symptoms in children with HT while riding non-motorised recreational vehicles such as bicycles, push scooters and skateboards (BSS). We aimed to investigate whether helmet use is associated with a reduction in acute concussive symptoms in children with BSS-related-HT.
Methods: Prospective study of children <18 years who presented with a BSS related-HT between April 2011 and January 2014 at a tertiary Paediatric Emergency Department (ED).
Results: We included 190 patients. Median age 9.4 years (IQR 4.8–13.8). 66% were riding a bicycle, 23% a push scooter, and 11% a skateboard. 62% were wearing a helmet and 62% had at least one concussive symptom. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender, and type of vehicle showed that patients without a helmet presented more likely with headache (adjusted odds-ratio (aOR) 2.54, 95% CI 1.27–5.06), vomiting (aOR 2.16, 95% CI 1.00–4.66), abnormal behaviour (aOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.08–5.06), or the presence of at least one concussive symptom (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.20–4.80).
Conclusions: In children presenting to the ED following a wheeled BSS-related HT helmet use was associated with less acute concussive symptoms.
ABBREVIATIONS: aOR, adjusted odds ratio; APHIRST, Australasian Paediatric Head Injury Rules Study; BSS, bicycles, push scooters and skateboards; CI, confidence interval; CT, computed tomography; ED, emergency department; HT, head trauma; IQR, interquartile range; OR, odds ratio; RCH, Royal Children’s Hospital; RV, recreational vehicle.
