TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Outcomes in elderly fall victims: what happens after hospital discharge?
JO  - American journal of surgery
A1  - Larson, Lance M.
A1  - Sliter, Robert
A1  - Helmer, Stephen D.
A1  - Reyes, Jared
A1  - Crawford, Greg
A1  - Haan, James M.
SP  - 1106
EP  - 1114
VL  - 212
IS  - 6
N2  - BACKGROUND: Falls are the leading cause of trauma-related death in the elderly, but postdischarge outcomes' data are lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 12-month postdischarge mortality and causes of death. <br><br>METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients 65 years and older admitted for a fall and discharged alive. Data collection included demographics, injury characteristics, hospitalization details, and outcomes. A state death database and hospital records were queried to identify patients who died within 12 months of hospital discharge. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 347 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 74 (21.3%) died within 12 months postdischarge. These patients were older than those who survived (83.4 vs 79.1 years, P <.001). Most injury patterns were not predictive of postdischarge death, whereas several comorbidities were more common in those who died. Death was fall-related in 13 of 74 (17.6%) who died. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Injury characteristics do not predict postdischarge mortality. However, pre-existing comorbidities, including advanced age were predictive of postdischarge mortality. Further study is needed to determine whether a focus on medical optimization can reduce 1-year postdischarge death.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0002-9610
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2016.09.009
ID  - ref1
ER  -