@article{ref1,
title="Motorcycle helmets and spinal injuries: dispelling the myth",
journal="Annals of emergency medicine",
year="1994",
author="Orsay, E. M. and Muelleman, R. L. and Peterson, T. D. and Jurisic, D. H. and Kosasih, J. B. and Levy, P.",
volume="23",
number="4",
pages="802-806",
abstract="STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between spinal injuries and helmet use in motorcycle trauma. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Twenty-eight hospitals in four midwestern states--Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin--representing urban, suburban, and rural settings. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sample of motorcyclists treated at the participating centers. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The major variables evaluated were helmet use, ethanol use, and significant head or spinal injuries. RESULTS: 1,153 cases were analyzed. Helmet use was not significantly associated with spinal injuries (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence intervals, 0.79, 1.58) whereas head injury was markedly decreased with helmet use (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence intervals, 0.23, 0.53). Ethanol use was a significant variable in both head (odds ratio, 3.89) and spinal (odds ratio, 2.41) injuries. CONCLUSION: In contrast to a significant protective relationship identified for head injuries, helmet use was not associated with an increased or decreased occurrence rate of spinal injuries in motorcycle trauma.",
language="",
issn="0196-0644",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}