Citation

Pan DST, Kuan WS, Lee MZ, Thajudeen MZ, Rahman MMF, Sheth IA, Ong VYK, Tang JZY, Wee CPJ, Chua MT. Ann. Acad. Med. Singapore 2024; 53(5): 324-327.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Academy of Medicine, Singapore)

DOI

10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.2023295

PMID

38920225

Abstract

Singapore faces a rapidly ageing population with its median age projected to be above 45 years by 2030. Our greying demographics is accompanied by a rise in chronic diseases and medication use, including polypharmacy.1 Longer life expectancy and increased activity levels have contributed to higher incidence of geriatric trauma locally, with a three-fold rise between 2004 and 2015.2 Older patients are at greater risk of poorer outcomes following trauma.3 However, the impact of comorbidities and medication use on post-trauma outcomes in Singapore's ageing population remains unclear.

From the trauma registries at 2 tertiary trauma centres--Singapore General Hospital and National University Hospital--in Singapore, we identified patients aged 45 years and above who presented to the emergency departments (EDs) for injuries between 2011 and 2015. Data on demographics, injury types and severity, comorbid conditions and medication use were collected through chart reviews of electronic medical records. We evaluated these factors in relation to clinical outcomes including mortality, ED disposition, hospital length-of-stay and discharge venue. Patients were divided into the following age groups for analysis: 45-64 (middle-aged), 65-74 (young-old), 75-84 years (middle-old) and 85 years and above (old-old)...

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Aged; Female; Male; Retrospective Studies; Aged, 80 and over; mortality; Singapore; outcomes; Singapore/epidemiology; *Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology/therapy; emergency medicine; geriatric trauma