Citation

Lowe JA, Pearson J, Leslie M, Griffin R. J. Orthop. Trauma 2018; 32(3): 129-133.

Affiliation

1Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix and the Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education, Phoenix, AZ 2Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 3Department of Orthopaedics, Yale School of Medicine, Newhaven, CN.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/BOT.0000000000001052

PMID

29084051

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine the characteristics of high-energy geriatric trauma over time.

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review SETTING:: Level 1 trauma Center PATIENTS:: Demographic, injury, and clinical characteristics were compared between 34,017 geriatric and non-geriatric high energy trauma patients from 2005-2014 using t-test, chi-square analysis and negative binomial regression for annual trend in injuries.

RESULTS: High-energy geriatric trauma comprised 11.2% of all trauma activations. High-energy geriatric patients nearly doubled from the study period of 2005-2014 to previous 10 years (p=0.0004). Compared to non-geriatric patients, geriatric high-energy traumas were twice as likely to be due to fall from height (p<0.0001), had higher ISS scores (p<0.0001), fewer abdominal injuries (p=0.0011) and have head trauma (p<0.0001). Fracture patterns were similar between groups. Mortality was higher for all geriatric patients (OR 4.76, 95% CI 4.00-5.67), and high-energy mechanisms (OR 4.71, 95% CI 3.90-5.68) compared to low-energy mechanisms (OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.48-3.62).

CONCLUSION: The number of geriatric high-energy traumas has doubled over 10 years. Geriatric patients are sicker on presentation, based upon ISS score, and high-energy geriatrics have a four-fold increase in mortality. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Language: en