Analysis of Hospital Mortality and Epidemiology in Trauma Patients: A Multi-Center Study

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the clinical characteristics of trauma patients in the southeastern coastal area of Turkey and in- vestigated the factors influencing mortality. Methods: Patients admitted with trauma to the emergency de- partments of Harran and Gaziantep Medical Schools and to the emergency services of hospitals in Sanlıurfa between June 2008 and December 2008 were enrolled retrospectively in this study. All medical records and follow-up data were reviewed for each patient. Results: The study evaluated 15,120 trauma patients. The causes of trauma were motor vehicle accidents (38.7%), falls from heights (36.8%), burns (7.8%), knife wounds and gun shots (8.1%), homi- cides (6.5%), and workplace-related accidents (2.1%). The overall patient mortality rate was 3.8%. The mean patient ages were 47.8 ± 0.9 and 29.7 ± 0.4 among those who died and among those who survived, respectively (P < 0.01). The median times to arrival were 130 minutes and 42 minutes among those who died and among those who survived, respectively (P < 0.01). Whereas 79.9% of patients were discharged after treatment in the emergency depart- ments, 16.3% were referred to various departments for hospitaliza- tion, and 3.8% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The mean score on the Glasgow Coma Scale was 7.5 ± 0.3 among who died and 12.8 ± 0.6 among those who survived (P < 0.05), and the mean Revised Trauma Scores were 8.7 ± 0.5 among those who died and 11.5 ± 0.7 among those who survived (P < 0.05). Intubation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated in 88% of those who died and 43.5% of those who survived (P < 0.05). Of those who died, 84% had cranial injuries and 43.5% had thoracic injuries. Conclusions: Frequent causes of trauma in our region are motor vehicle accidents and falls from heights. Type of trauma, rapid ar- rival at the hospital, hospital procedures and interventions, age, sex, and trauma scores were predictors of mortality in trauma patients