Document Detail


Risk factors predicting mortality after blunt traumatic cervical fracture.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18589421     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: Risk factors for mortality after blunt cervical trauma have received little attention within the literature. Therefore, we performed a study, to determine which factors are associated with mortality in patients with blunt cervical trauma. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 88 trauma patients, with cervical fractures, who were admitted to the emergency department of the St. Elisabeth hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A retrospective cohort study was performed within the trauma department of the St. Elisabeth Hospital, in Tilburg, The Netherlands. From January 2000 to December 2005, all patients with cervical fractures after blunt trauma were included (N=88). All patient records were reviewed. Patient and trauma characteristics were registered within a standardised electronic database. Our follow-up period was 1 year. RESULTS: In total, 12 (13.6%) patients died after a traumatic cervical fracture. Age (p=0.005), gender (p=0.005), involvement of the third cervical vertebrae (p=0.003), involvement of three cervical vertebrae (p=0.010) and involvement of the spinous process (p=0.032) were associated with mortality. The multivariate analysis showed that age and the involvement of the third cervical vertebrae (both p=0.016) are both independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Age and involvement of the third cervical vertebrae were both independent predictors of mortality. Age has been previously described as a risk factor for adverse prognosis in different diseases and trauma's. However, involvement of the third cervical vertebrae has not yet been described as a significant risk factor. Before implementation within trauma support further research is needed to evaluate the role of the third cervical vertebra regarding adverse prognosis and mortality in trauma patients.
Authors:
Albert F Pull ter Gunne; Annelies E Aquarius; Jan-Anne Roukema
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2008-06-26
Journal Detail:
Title:  Injury     Volume:  39     ISSN:  1879-0267     ISO Abbreviation:  Injury     Publication Date:  2008 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-12-02     Completed Date:  2009-07-27     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0226040     Medline TA:  Injury     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1437-41     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands. albert@pulltergunne.nl
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cervical Vertebrae / injuries*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Netherlands
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Spinal Fractures / mortality*,  therapy
Survival Analysis
Trauma Severity Indices
Wounds, Nonpenetrating / mortality*,  therapy
Young Adult
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Injury. 2009 Jun;40(6):675; author reply 675-6   [PMID:  19394930 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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