| Characteristics of Geriatric Trauma Patients Transferred from Long-term Care Hospitals: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis |
| Min Woo Park, Kyung Hye Park, Junho Cho, Ha Young Park, In Ho Kwon, Woon Hyung Yeo, Junyeob Lee, Deuk Hyun Park, Yoo Sang Yoon, Yang Weon Kim |
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Inje University, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea. erdoc@naver.com |
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| ABSTRACT |
PURPOSE:
Transfer from long-term care (LTC) hospitals to the emergency department (ED) of larger hospitals has increased due to limited capability for management of patients needing special diagnostic tools or emergency treatment in the LTC hospital. We investigated the characteristics of geriatric trauma patients transferred from LTC hospitals to the ED.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis included data on geriatric trauma patients (age> or =65) who visited two EDs in Korea.
All data of patients transferred from the LTC hospital were compared with those of patients who visited the ED from home. Patients visiting from home were selected according to age, sex, and main diagnosis, using the statistical matching method.
RESULTS:
A total of 44 patients were transferred, and 132 patients were selected after matching. No differences in mechanism of injury, injury severity score (ISS), outcomes, transfusion, length of hospital stay, or mortality were observed between the two groups. The odds ratios (OR) of transferred patients for stroke and dementia were 5.027 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.292-16.915) and 13.941 (95% CI: 5.112-38.015), respectively. In addition, the OR of transferred patients for dependent activities of daily living was 8.165 (95% CI: 2.886-23.104). Thirty five transferred patients (79.5%) had been injured in the LTC hospital (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION:
The transferred patients had more stroke, dementia, and dependent activities, but showed no significant difference in severity or prognosis. Most transferred patients had been injured in the hospital.
Greater attention to hospitalized patients and system development are required in order to prevent injuries in the LTC hospital. |
| Key words:
Injuries, Long-term care, Geriatrics, Trauma |
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