Six-year survival of patients with traumatic brain injury in Cameroon

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries such as Cameroon, where it is often caused by road traffic accidents and assaults. At Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, data on the long-term survival of patients who have experienced TBI are scarce. This study aimed to examine the six-year survival of patients followed for traumatic brain injury in the hospital’s emergency unit and neurosurgery department. Methodology: We conducted a six-year prospective study from January 2017 to January 2023, including 8,902 patients who were admitted for traumatic brain injury management. Sociodemographic data, injury severity, interventions performed, and patient outcomes (alive or deceased) were collected. Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox model were used to analyze survival among these patients. Results: We followed 8,902 patients. The survival probability (SP) of patients with severe TBI was lower than that of patients with mild TBI (p<0.001). The SP of patients aged 75 to 100 years was lower than that of patients aged 3 to 25 years (p = 0.02). Male patients had a lower SP than female patients (p = 0.002); similarly, this probability was significantly lower for individuals without formal education compared to those with a university education level (p<0.001). Age was the only factor increasing the risk of mortality (HR = 2.21, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of early and appropriate care, particularly for elderly patients, as well as the influence of sociodemographic factors on post-traumatic survival.