Although there is now substantial evidence on the acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety disorders, the long-term population impact of the pandemic remains largely unexplored.

To quantify a possible longitudinal population-level impact of the pandemic by projecting the prevalence of anxiety disorders through 2030 among men and women aged up to 95 years in Germany under scenarios with varying impacts of the pandemic on the incidence of anxiety disorders.

We used a three-state illness–death model and data from the Global Burden of Disease Study to model historical trends of the prevalence and incidence of anxiety disorders. The German population projections determined the initial values for projections. The COVID-19 incidence rate data informed an additional incidence model, which was parameterised with a wash-in period, delay, wash-out period, incidence increase level and decay constant.

When no additional increase in the incidence during the pandemic waves during 2020–2022 was assumed, it was estimated that 3.86 million women (9.96%) and 2.13 million men (5.40%) would have anxiety disorders in 2030. When increases in incidence following pandemic waves were assumed, the most extreme scenario projected 5.67 million (14.02%) women and 3.30 million (8.14%) men with the mental disorder in 2030.

Any increased incidence during the pandemic resulted in elevated prevalence over the projection period. Projection of anxiety disorder prevalence based on the illness–death model enables simulations with varying assumptions and provides insight for public health planning. These findings should be refined as trend data accumulate and become available.

To determine our institutional adherence to the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines with respect to intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, and examine the relationship between external ventricular drain (EVD) use and mortality.

Retrospective cohort study of 171 patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Propensity score adjusted logistic regression was used to model the association between EVD use and mortality.

EVDs were inserted in 98 of 171 patients. Of the 73 patients without an EVD, 63 (86%) would have qualified for ICP monitoring under the current guidelines. EVDs were in situ for a median of 8 days (SD 6). In adjusted analyses, EVD use was associated with hospital mortality (OR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1 - 7.1, p=0.04) and 28-day mortality (OR 2.1, 95% CI: 0.80 - 5.6, p=0.13). We observed significant modification of the association between EVD and 28-day mortality by GCS within 12 hours (p-interaction = 0.04), indicating strong association only among those patients with GCS score of at least 6 (OR 5.0, 95% CI: 1.5 - 16.7, p<0.01).

The association of EVD with 28-day mortality was only apparent among patients with GCS score of ≥ 6. Further research is warranted to further refine which patients may benefit from ICP monitoring.