Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Polytrauma is increasingly recognized as a disease beyond anatomical injuries. Due to population growth, centralization, and slow uptake of preventive measures, major trauma presentations in most trauma systems show a slow but steady increase. The proportional contribution of polytrauma patients to this increase is unknown.
Methods
A 13-year retrospective analysis ending 31/12/2021 of all major trauma admissions (ISS > 15) to a level-1 trauma center were included. Polytrauma was classified using the Newcastle definition. Linear regression analysis was used to compare the rates of patient presentation over time. Logistic regression was used to measure for change in proportion of polytrauma. Data are presented as median (IQR), with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as appropriate.
Results
5897 (age: 49 ± 43 years, sex: 71.3% male, ISS: 20 ± 9, mortality: 10.7%) major trauma presentations were included, 1,616 (27%) were polytrauma (age: 45 ± 37 years, 72.0% male, ISS: 29 ± 14, mortality: 12.7%). Major trauma presentations increased significantly over the study period (+ 8 patients per year (3–14), p < 0.01), aged significantly (0.42 years/year (0.25–0.59, p < 0.001). The number of polytrauma presentations per year did not change significantly (+ 1 patients/year (– 1 to 4, p > 0.2). Overall unadjusted mortality did not change (OR 0.99 (0.97–1.02). Polytrauma mortality fell significantly (OR 0.96 (0.92–0.99)) over the study period.
Conclusions
Polytrauma patients represent about 25% of the major trauma admissions, with higher injury severity, static incidence and higher but improving mortality in comparison to all major trauma patients. Separate reporting and focused research on this group are warranted as monitoring the entire major trauma cohort does not identify these specifics of this high acuity subgroup.
Funder
Australian Orthopaedic Association
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine,Emergency Medicine,Surgery
Cited by
7 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献