Edip VARAN, Nihal ERTÜRK, Tamer DURDU
Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care - 2026;7(3):469-474
Aims: Pediatric traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH) is a serious consequence of head trauma and may indicate severe brain injury. Early identification of high-risk patients is essential for timely intervention. Admission laboratory and cranial computed tomography (CT) findings may provide important prognostic information. To assess the association between admission laboratory parameters, cranial CT findings, and in-hospital mortality in pediatric patients with tSAH. Methods: This retrospective study included 51 patients under 18 years diagnosed with tSAH at a tertiary emergency department between January 2024 and January 2025. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and CT data were collected. Mortality outcomes were compared using t-tests, Chi-square, or Fisher's exact test. Due to the small number of deaths (n=6), analyses were considered exploratory. Results: Six patients (11.8%) died during hospitalization. Deceased patients were younger and more commonly injured in traffic accidents (p<0.05). Laboratory parameters associated with mortality included lower hemoglobin and platelet counts, higher leukocyte counts, glucose, creatinine, ALT, AST, INR, and lower arterial pH (all p<0.05). Cranial CT revealed that most deceased patients had additional intracranial injuries beyond isolated tSAH. Conclusion: Admission laboratory and cranial CT findings may be associated with in-hospital mortality in pediatric tSAH. These readily available data may support early risk stratification and clinical decision-making. Larger multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings and further clarify their prognostic value.
