Mortality and causes of death among patients with isolated limb and pelvic fractures

• Published in: Injury Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 312 - 317
• Main Authors: Deakin, D.E, Boulton, C, Moran, C.G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cause of death; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Femoral Neck Fractures - complications; Femoral Neck Fractures - mortality; Femoral Neck Fractures - therapy; Fractured neck of femur; Hip fractures; Hip Fractures - complications; Hip Fractures - mortality; Hip Fractures - therapy; Humans; Injuries of the limb. Injuries of the spine; Male; Medical Records Systems, Computerized; Medical sciences; Mortality; Myocardial Ischemia - complications; Myocardial Ischemia - mortality; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - mortality; Orthopedics; Pneumonia - complications; Pneumonia - mortality; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Radius Fractures - complications; Radius Fractures - mortality; Radius Fractures - therapy; Risk Factors; Sepsis - complications; Sepsis - mortality; Sex Factors; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Ulna Fractures - complications; Ulna Fractures - mortality; Ulna Fractures - therapy; Hip fractures; Cause of death; Mortality; Fractured neck of femur; Femoral neck; Human; Prognosis; Limb; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Fracture; Hlp fractures; Trauma; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0020-1383; 1879-0267
• DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2006.09.024

Summary Between May 2001 and May 2005, all 8834 adults admitted to our hospital with fractures to the limbs and pelvis were prospectively entered onto a database. Information was cross-referenced with the Office of National Statistics, and all patients who died during the study period were identified. Mortality rates were adjusted for age, gender and type of injury and cause of death was identified from hospital records. Neck of femur fractures accounted for 32% of admissions. Younger patients were more likely to be male and older patients more likely to be female. Overall 30-day and 1-year mortalities were 4.5 and 13%, respectively. Increased mortality was associated with age, male gender and fractures of the femur or pelvis.