Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of Geriatric Patients Involved in Traffic Accidents

Kim, Tae Su; Lee, Kang Hyun; Kim, Tae Hoon; Kim, O Hyun; Cha, Yong Sung; Cha, Kyung Chul; Hwang, Sung Oh

Abstract

PURPOSE
Recently, the population of elderly people has been increasing rapidly all over the world. The social activities of the aging population have increased, which has also increased the number of elderly patients injured in traffic accidents. Thus, we analyzed the characteristics of elderly patients involved in traffic accidents.
METHODS
This study was conducted retrospectively from July 2008 to March 2009 among trauma patients involved in traffic accidents who visited Wonju Severance Christian Hospital. Patients under 18 years of age and pregnant patients were excluded. We divided the patients in two groups, a geriatrics group and an adult group on the basis of an age of 65. We compared the types of traffic accidents, the locations of the accidents, the behaviors of the patients at the times of the accidents, the use of seat-belts, and alcohol consumption between the two groups. We calculated the Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) for each group.
RESULTS
Total number of the included patients was 903, and the number of elderly patients was 181 (mean age: 71.7+/-4.9 years old). There were no significant differences in the initial vital signs, GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale), and RTS between the two groups. There were differences in the types and the locations of the crashes, the behaviors of the patients at the times of the accidents, the use of seat belts, and alcohol consumption between the two groups (p<0.05). The average ISS of the geriatric group was higher than that of the adult group (9.66+/-10.11 vs. 6.59+/-8.99, p=0.004). The mortality was higher in the geriatric group (n=17,9%) than in the adult group (n=23,2%) (p=0.004).
CONCLUSION
The numbers of mortalities and surgical procedures were greater within the elderly group than the adult group. The average ISS was higher in the geriatric group than in the adult group. The severity of injuries due to traffic accidents was higher in the geriatric group than it was in the adult group.