Article
Multiple injuries in edlerly patients
Behandlung älterer Patienten nach Mehrfachverletzungen
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Published: | April 23, 2004 |
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Outline
Text
Objective
The study analyses data from the "muticentre study : multiple injury" and describes the actual management of multiple injuries in elderly patients.
Methods
120 patients of an age ≥70 years were included into the analysis. All patients were admitted comatose after injury. Data were statistically compared to patients of an age between 20 and 69 years (n=400). Statistics were performed by use of the software package SPSS 11.0 for Windows 2000. Predictor quality was assumed for p < 0,01.
Results
Most of the elder patients were female (55%). Falls (67,5%) were the most frequent causes of accident. 97,5% suffered a closed, 2,5% an open head injury. Subdural hematomas (60%) and pelvic fractures (10%) were more frequent in elder patients than in the younger group. In 45%, a vital craniotomy had been performed, which was less than in the comparison group. 20% of the elderly patients, revealing an intracranial, extracerebral hematoma, had not been treated operatively. Glasgow Outcome Score 6 month postinjury differed significantly in elderly patients: mortality was higher 20% than in younger age groups, the rate of severely disabled patients to 25% (instead of 10% in younger patients). All patients, persistently vegetative by hospital discharge, died within the follow-up range. 20% survived slightly disabled, only 5% not disabled.
Conclusions
Data indicate significant differences in the management and outcome of multiple injuries between patients below and above an age of 70.