Impact of obesity on outcomes after abdominal gunshot injury

The impact of obesity, on outcomes after a gunshot wound, remains unclear. We hypothesized that patients with obesity have a higher burden of intraabdominal injuries after gunshot injury when compared with the nonobese population.

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program database (2013-2017) was queried for all patients age ≥16 with abdominal gunshot injuries. Patients who died in the emergency department (ED), arrived without signs of life, had Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥ 3 in any other region, or transferred from an outside hospital were excluded. The patient with obesity was defined by a body mass index ≥ 30. Demographics, injury data, and outcomes were abstracted and analyzed. Patients with obesity were compared to those with a body mass index < 30. Multivariate logistical regression was used to compare mortality between groups.

Of 34,138 patients with gunshot injuries, there were 2,616 (7.7%) with isolated abdominal injuries. Median age is 29 years (22-39 years), 86.7% men. Eight hundred twenty-seven (31.6%) were obese. The obese group was significantly older (32 [25-42] vs. 27 [22-37]; p < 0.001) with a higher incidence of hypertension (16.8% vs. 6.3%, p < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (7.1% vs. 2.3%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in presenting vital signs, abdominal Abbreviated Injury Scale or Injury Severity Score between groups. The rate of superficial injuries and intraabdominal organ injuries were comparable between groups. Patients with obesity had significantly higher mortality (6.5% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.010), hospital length of stay (9 [7-16] vs. 9[6-14], p < 0.001), ventilator days (3 [2-5] vs. 3 [2-4], p = 0.015), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (3.5% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.005). On multivariate analysis, in addition to older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.050; p < 0.001), ED hypotension (OR, 3.192; p < 0.001), and ED tachycardia (OR, 3.714; p < 0.001), obesity was significantly associated with mortality (OR, 1.636; p = 0.021).

Patients with obesity are at a high risk of mortality after abdominal gunshot injury. Further prospective evaluation is warranted.

Prognostic study, Level III.