Table 2.
Associated injuries of hospitalized elderly and adult patients in fall accidents
| Fall accident | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Elderly | Adult | p | ||
| N = 2403 | N = 1909 | ||||
| Head trauma, n (%) | |||||
| Neurologic deficit+ | 1 | (0.04) | 10 | (0.5) | 0.002 |
| Cranial fracture+ | 51 | (2.1) | 81 | (4.2) | <0.001 |
| Epidural hematoma (EDH)+ | 36 | (1.5) | 60 | (3.1) | <0.001 |
| Subdural hematoma (SDH)* | 242 | (10.1) | 156 | (8.2) | 0.032 |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) | 134 | (5.6) | 128 | (6.7) | 0.123 |
| Intracerebral hematoma (ICH) | 49 | (2.0) | 28 | (1.5) | 0.159 |
| Cerebral contusion | 104 | (4.3) | 95 | (5.0) | 0.313 |
| Cervical vertebral fracture+ | 16 | (0.7) | 29 | (1.5) | 0.006 |
| Maxillofacial trauma, n (%) | |||||
| Maxillary fracture+ | 20 | (0.8) | 47 | (2.5) | <0.001 |
| Mandibular fracture+ | 2 | (0.1) | 20 | (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Orbital fracture+ | 5 | (0.2) | 12 | (0.6) | 0.029 |
| Nasal fracture | 6 | (0.2) | 10 | (0.5) | 0.141 |
| Thoracic trauma, n (%) | |||||
| Rib fracture+ | 77 | (3.2) | 142 | (7.4) | <0.001 |
| Sternal fracture+ | 0 | (0.0) | 5 | (0.3) | 0.012 |
| Hemothorax+ | 14 | (0.6) | 25 | (1.3) | 0.012 |
| Pneumothorax+ | 5 | (0.2) | 31 | (1.6) | <0.001 |
| Lung contusion+ | 2 | (0.1) | 12 | (0.6) | 0.002 |
| Hemopneumothorax+ | 5 | (0.2) | 31 | (1.6) | <0.001 |
| Thoracic vertebral fracture+ | 37 | (1.5) | 57 | (3.0) | 0.001 |
| Abdominal trauma, n (%) | |||||
| Intra-abdominal injury+ | 3 | (0.1) | 20 | (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Hepatic injury+ | 3 | (0.1) | 18 | (0.9) | <0.001 |
| Splenic injury | 1 | (0.04) | 5 | (0.3) | 0.054 |
| Retroperitoneal injury | 2 | (0.1) | 4 | (0.2) | 0.269 |
| Renal injury | 3 | (0.1) | 7 | (0.4) | 0.101 |
| Urinary bladder injury | 1 | (0.04) | 4 | (0.2) | 0.108 |
| Lumbar vertebral fracture+ | 64 | (2.7) | 112 | (5.9) | <0.001 |
| Sacral vertebral fracture+ | 4 | (0.2) | 22 | (1.2) | <0.001 |
| Extremity trauma, n (%) | |||||
| Scapular fracture | 6 | (0.2) | 10 | (0.5) | 0.141 |
| Clavicle fracture+ | 25 | (1.0) | 43 | (2.3) | 0.002 |
| Humeral fracture | 118 | (4.9) | 101 | (5.3) | 0.572 |
| Radial fracture+ | 224 | (9.3) | 363 | (19.0) | <0.001 |
| Ulnar fracture+ | 100 | (4.2) | 119 | (6.2) | 0.002 |
| Femoral fracture* | 1215 | (50.6) | 270 | (14.1) | <0.001 |
| Patella fracture+ | 55 | (2.3) | 100 | (5.2) | <0.001 |
| Tibia fracture+ | 44 | (1.8) | 111 | (5.8) | <0.001 |
| Fibular fracture+ | 26 | (1.1) | 67 | (3.5) | <0.001 |
| Metacarpal fracture+ | 7 | (0.3) | 35 | (1.8) | <0.001 |
| Metatarsal fracture+ | 12 | (0.5) | 135 | (7.1) | <0.001 |
| Calcaneal fracture+ | 57 | (2.4) | 135 | (7.1) | <0.001 |
| Pelvic fracture+ | 25 | (1.0) | 58 | (3.0) | <0.001 |
+ and * indicated significant lower and higher incidences of the associated injury, respectively, in the elderly than those adult patients ( p<0.05). DM: diabetes mellitus; HTN: hypertension; CAD: coronary artery diseases; CHF: congestive heart failure; CVA: cerebrovascular accident; ESRD: end-stage renal disease.