Mortality and Morbidity in Severely Traumatized Elderly Patients

Abstract

Background: As the population ages, the elderly will constitute a prominent proportion of trauma patients. The elderly suffer more severe outcomes from injuries compared with the young. In this study, we examined the relationship between mortality and complications with age. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of 256 major trauma patients (Injury Severity Score > 15) admitted to an emergency center over a two- year period. Age-dependent mortality and complications were evaluated. Results: Of 256 patients, 209 (81.6%) were male and the mean age was 47.2 years. There was a trend between increasing age and increasing mortality, but this was not statistically significant. Increasing age was correlated with frequency of complications. Conclusions: Age was confirmed to be an independent predictor of mortality in major trauma. We documented that elderly trauma patients suffer from complications more frequently compared with their younger counterparts. Appropriate and specific triage and management guidelines for elderly trauma patients are needed.