This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Causes of excessive late death after trauma compared with a matched control cohort. BJS 2016; 103: 1282-1289.

Published: 28th July 2016

Authors: M. Eriksson, O. Brattström, E. Larsson, A. Oldner

Background

Studies on mortality following trauma have been restricted mainly to in‐hospital or 30‐day death. Mortality risk may be sustained several years after trauma, but the causes of late death have not been elucidated. The aim was to investigate mortality and analyse causes of late death after trauma.

Method

All injured patients from a regional trauma registry with long‐term follow‐up were matched in a 1 : 5 ratio with uninjured controls by age, sex and municipality. By linkage to national registries, long‐term mortality, causes of death and co‐morbidity status were identified. Excess mortality was examined by calculating the all‐cause mortality rate ratio (MRR).

Results

Among the trauma cohort of 7382 patients, 662 (9·0 per cent) died within 3 years after the index trauma; the 30‐day mortality rate was 5·0 per cent. Compared with the control group (36 759 individuals), there was a sustained increase in mortality up to 3 years after trauma; the MRR was 2·88 (95 per cent c.i. 2·37 to 3·50) for days 31–365, 1·59 (1·24 to 2·04) for years 1–2 and 1·43 (1·06 to 1·92) for years 2–3. External causes, including new trauma, were far more common causes of late death in injured patients than in matched controls.

Conclusion

Postinjury mortality is increased for several years after trauma. Excess mortality is largely attributed to recurrent trauma and other external causes of death.

Full text

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Causes of excessive late death after trauma compared with a matched control cohort. BJS 2016; 103: 1282-1289.

Background

Method

Results

Conclusion

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