Ten-year Trends in Traumatic Injury Mechanisms and Outcomes: A Trauma Registry Analysis

Background: The Oklahoma Trauma Registry (OTR) collects data from all state-licensed acute care hospitals. This study investigates trends and outcomes of trauma in Oklahoma using OTR.

Methods: 107,549 patients (2005-2014) with major severity and one of the following criteria were included: length of hospital stay ≥48 h, dead on arrival or death in the hospital, hospital transfer, ICU admission, or surgery on the head, chest, abdomen, or vascular system. Patient characteristics, mechanisms of injury, and outcomes of trauma were analyzed.

Results: Hospital admissions due to falls increased with an annual percent change of 4.0% (95%CI: 3.1%-4.9%) while hospital admissions due to motor vehicle crashes decreased. The number of overall deaths per year remained stable except for the fall-related deaths, which increased proportionate to the increase in the incidence of fall. Fall-related mortality was 4.2% and intracranial bleeding was present in 60% in these patients.

Conclusion: Falls are significantly increasing as a mechanism of trauma admissions and trauma-related deaths in Oklahoma. Analysis of state-based trauma registries can identify trends in etiologies of injuries and may indicate a reference point to prioritize preventive plans.