BACKGROUND: The rate of hospitalization in elderly patients because of falls is increasing. The objective of this study was to investigate long-term trends in injury profiles of low-energy falls and to identify injuries associated with need for in-patient rehabilitation.
METHODS: A single-centre retrospective study was performed at an inner city Major Trauma Centre in Sydney. Trauma registry data were obtained from patients who were 65 years of age or over with low-energy falls (trip and fall from height ≤1 m, including falls from standing) from the trauma registry between January 2000 and December 2011. Demographic data, time and date of presentation and injury characteristics were collected. Outcomes of interests were proportions of hip fractures, head injuries and discharge to in-patient rehabilitation facilities.
RESULTS: A total of 4964 cases were identified. There was a 6.5% per annum decrease in the proportion of elderly patients with low-energy falls who sustained hip fractures compared with a relative increase in severe head injuries, 5.7% per annum. Around 25% of patients were transferred to in-patient rehabilitation. Severe head injuries and lower-limb injuries were the two injuries most associated with transfer to in-patient rehabilitation.
CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with low-energy falls, a significant decrease in hip fractures was associated with a rise in severe head injuries over the past decade.