Are Geriatric Patients Who Sustain High-Energy Traumatic Injury Likely to Return to Functional Independence?

Objectives: To evaluate physical function and return to independence of geriatric trauma patients, to compare physical function outcomes of geriatric patients who sustained high-energy trauma with that of those who sustained low-energy trauma, and to identify predictors of physical function outcomes. Design: Retrospective. Setting: Urban Level I trauma center. Patients: Study group of 216 patients with high-energy trauma and comparison group of 117 patients with low-energy trauma. Intervention: Injury mechanism (high- vs. low-energy mechanism). Main Outcome Measurement: Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function (PROMIS PF) patient-reported outcome measure, and change in living situation and mobility. Results: Physical function outcomes and return to independence differed between patients with high-energy and low-energy injuries. High-energy geriatric trauma patients had significantly higher PROMIS PF scores compared with low-energy geriatric trauma patients (PROMIS PF score 42.2 ± 10.4 vs. 24.6 ± 10.4, P
Source: Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Original Article Source Type: research