Angélica M. Palacio-Delgado, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Miranda C. Pérez-Castellón, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Natalie De La Peña, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Vania P. Villa-Pérez, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Gabriela K. Lozano-León, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Luis E. Velarde-Macedo, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Víctor J. Rocha-Ramos, Mission Brain Foundation, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Sonia Carreola-Lara, Department of Emergency, Municipal Medical Services, Cruz Verde, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Carlos A. Ruiz-Esparza-Macías, Department of Emergency, Municipal Medical Services, Cruz Verde, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading global cause of death and disability. Despite its public health importance, contemporary, high-fidelity epidemiological data for adult TBI populations in Mexico are scarce, impeding accurate resource allocation and policy development. Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile and injury patterns of adult TBI presenting to a high-volume emergency center in Western Mexico, highlighting the demographic distribution, clinical severity, and injury patterns observed within the facility’s population. Method: This was an institutional-based cross-sectional study that employed a census of eligible cases presenting between January and December 2024. Data were collected via chart review and were summarized using absolute frequencies, percentages, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Among 3,595 index patient encounters screened, 686 met the TBI case definition, yielding a facility-based incidence proportion of 19.1% (95% CI: 17.9-20.3%). The patient population was predominantly male (78.9%) and concentrated in young adults (65.9%). The injury profile was defined by Mild TBI (82.7%), with road traffic accidents (50.3%) as the leading mechanism overall, which shifted overwhelmingly to falls (85.1%) in elderly patients (≥ 60 years). Overall in-hospital mortality was low (2.5%), but demonstrated a six-fold age-related gradient, increasing from 0.9% in young adults (15-44 years) to 5.7% in elderly patients (≥ 60 years). Conclusion: This institutional census provides a crucial benchmark for TBI epidemiology, demonstrating a profound age-related mortality disparity that suggests the potential benefit of developing age-related TBI protocols. TBI remains a significant, evolving, and under-characterized public health problem in Mexico, requiring robust surveillance and targeted injury prevention programs.
Keywords: Traumatic brain injuries. Incidence. Cerebral edema.
