Clinical Factors in Geriatric Blunt Trauma
Özge Duman Atilla1, Feriyde Caliskan Tur1, Ersin Aksay1, Tarık Doğan1, Yeşim Eyler1, Şehnaz Akın2
1Tepecik Training And Research Hospital, Department Of Emergency Medicine, Izmir
2Canakkale State Hospital, Department Of Emergency Servise, Canakkale
Keywords: blunt trauma, emergency department, geriatric patients, clinical factors
Abstract
Objective
The aim of this study is to determine the clinical factors that contribute the admission, management and outcome of blunt trauma in geriatric patients.
Methods
This prospective, cross sectional study was conducted at a tertiary Emergency Department (ED) between January and April of 2012. Patients were included if they were 65 years and older and had a blunt trauma. The demographic data, comorbid diseases, quantity of medications, mechanism of injury, a history of trauma within the last six months, body region of injury, injury severity score (ISS), in-hospital length of stay (LOS), final outcome of patients were recorded.
Results
406 geriatric patients (268 (66%) female) were included and mean age of all patients was 75,6±7 (65-102). Extremities and head injury were the most common injury site. The femoral neck was the most common fracture site (24%). Low velocity fall (LVF) was the most common mechanism of blunt trauma (79%). Advancing age was also significantly related with LVF incidence, fracture incidence and ISS ≥9. Five patients were died in hospital (1.2%).
Conclusion
LVF was the primary etiology of geriatric blunt trauma. The most common injury sites were head and extremities there the femur neck was the most common site of fracture. For fractures, advancing age and polypharmacy (≥ 5 agents) were and for LVF, female gender was independent risk factors Advancing ages and previously stroke history were related to the severity of the trauma.