Factors Impacting Mortality in Geriatric Patients with Acute Spine Fractures: A 12-Year Study of 613 Patients in Singapore

• Published in: Asian spine journal 2019, 13(4), , pp.563-568
• Main Authors: Soon, En Loong, Leong, Adriel Zhijie, Chiew, Jean, Kaliya-Perumal, Arun-Kumar, Yu, Chun Sing, Oh, Jacob Yoong-Leong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidental falls; Clinical Study; Mortality; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal fractures; Spinal injuries; 정형외과학
• ISSN: 1976-1902; 1976-7846
• DOI: 10.31616/asj.2018.0231

Retrospective database analysis. To identify risk factors that predict mortality following acute spine fractures in geriatric patients of Singapore. Acute geriatric spinal fractures contribute significantly to local healthcare costs and hospital admissions. However, geriatric mortality following acute spine fractures is scarcely assessed in the Asian population. Electronic records of 3,010 patients who presented to our hospital's emergency department and who were subsequently admitted during 2004-2015 with alleged history of traumatic spine fractures were retrospectively reviewed, and 613 patients (mean age, 85.7±4.5 years; range, 80-101 years; men, 108; women, 505) were shortlisted. Mortality rates were reviewed up to 1 year after admission and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors correlating with mortality. Women were more susceptible to spine fractures (82.4%), with falls (77.8%) being the most common mechanism of injury. Mortality rates were 6.0%, 8.2%, and 10.4% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The most common causes of death at all 3 time points were pneumonia and ischemic heart disease. Based on the multivariate analysis at 1-year follow-up, elderly women had a lower mortality rate compared to men (p