The etiology of trauma in geriatric traumatic patients refer to an academic trauma center: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Geriatric trauma refers to injuries sustained by elderly individuals, typically those aged 65 years and older. The management of geriatric trauma in the Emergency Department requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account the physiological changes associated with aging, as well as the increased vulnerability and complexity of injuries in this population. This is a cross-sectional study aimed at evaluating the etiology of trauma in geriatric patients referred to the ED of level-1 an academic center. All patients with complaints of trauma are evaluated, patients over 65-years enrolled in the study. 319 patients were investigated, 49/8% male and 50/2%female.The most common underlying diseases are high blood pressure, diabetes type 2 and ischemic heart diseases. The most common trauma cause was falling from a same level (48/9%), followed by a fall from a height (16/6%), accident with cars (16%) and motorcycles (9/1%). The most common injury was extremities trauma (71/5%) following head trauma (13/2%) and chest trauma (6%). The severity of injury in extremity was more in women, and chest trauma was more sever in men. According to our results, the fall and subsequent car accident had the highest frequency as a cause of trauma in elderly patients admitted to our academic trauma center. Hypertension and diabetes have also been the most common underlying diseases. Head and neck injuries are life-threatening and critical in a larger number of patients than other injuries, and protecting them can be effective in reducing mortality and serious injuries in elderly trauma patients.