Ground level falls are associated with significant mortality in elderly patients

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Falls from height pose high risks for multisystem injury.
• Ground-level falls (GLF) are typically considered low-energy mechanisms of injury.
• GLF are not usually a criterion for trauma team activation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if GLF in elderly patients represents a high-risk group for injury.
• To determine if GLF warrants trauma service evaluation and appropriate triage for the elderly.
• To analyze injury patterns and outcomes in elderly patients following GLF.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study utilizing the National Trauma Data Bank.
• Identification of patients with GLF as the mechanism of injury.
• Analysis of demographics, injury types, severity, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

• 57,302 GLF patients identified; 32,320 were over 70 years old.
• Elderly patients ( >70) had significantly higher mortality (4.4% vs. 1.6%) and more fractures and intracranial injuries.
• Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <15 and age >70 were significant predictors of mortality.

Conclusions:

• Elderly patients ( >70) experiencing GLF have a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality.
• A GCS score <15 is a critical indicator of mortality risk in patients after GLF.
• These findings suggest a need for revised triage protocols for elderly patients sustaining ground-level falls.