Association of Traumatic Brain Injury and Cardiac Dysrhythmia: A Propensity Weighted Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the most common causes of death in trauma patients. The exact etiology of mortality is poorly understood. Catecholamine surges seen in these patients are known to prompt arrhythmogenesis. We attempted to better characterize the correlation between traumatic brain injury and arrhythmogenesis. METHODS: A composite database of National Inpatient Sample (NIS) for 2016 and 2017 was queried using ICD-10 codes to identify patients with dysrhythmia among a cohort of patients with traumatic brain injury. A propensity weighted logistic regression analysis was performed controlling for age, gender, and comorbidities. Propensity weighted cohorts were compared for correlation with dysrhythmia by age category.