Abstract
Because of demographic change, geriatric patients are becoming a major challenge for traumatology. Multiple trauma patients and patients with proximal femoral fractures are important groups of patients in geriatric traumatology. This retrospective study compares two patient groups with different severities of injuries, and analyzes their patient characteristics and short-term outcomes, focusing on functionality upon discharge. The investigation aims to present the characterizing features of both patient groups, and to identify the potential risk factors for early functionality after trauma. The patient collective comprises two patient groups: a polytrauma group with 91 patients, and a femoral fracture group with 132 patients. Under the control of potential influencing factors, the present study showed no significant influence of belonging to either of the patient groups (multiple trauma or proximal femoral fracture) on the mobility status at discharge. Age, known dementia, pre-clinical intubation, and the lowest Hb value were identified as significant influencing factors. Despite their old age and vulnerability, the majority of geriatric patients survive accidents. Further prospective investigations concerning the maintenance or restoration of functionality after an accident are therefore desirable.
Highlights
IntroductionThe number of geriatric trauma patients is becoming a major challenge for hospitals and society [1]
Due to demographic changes, the number of geriatric trauma patients is becoming a major challenge for hospitals and society [1]
The hospital mortality of geriatric multiple trauma patients without traumatic brain injury varies between 14% and 29%, and in patients with traumatic brain injury, it varies between 57% and 64% [1,4]
Summary
The number of geriatric trauma patients is becoming a major challenge for hospitals and society [1]. The physiological aging process and the reduced physiological reserve capacity, which are associated with a limited ability to compensate for internal or external changes in the environment adequately, make supply more difficult [3]. It is, essential to pay particular attention to the outcomes of these patients. It can be stated that, compared to the many mortality studies, and despite the clinical and socio-economic relevance, there are significantly fewer studies that examined the functionality and outcome of polytraumatized geriatric patients
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