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LO034: Does head injury matter? Comparison of functional outcomes in elderly who have sustained a minor trauma with or without head injury: a prospective multicenter cohort study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2016

A. Brousseau
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
M. Emond
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
M. Sirois
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
R. Daoust
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
L.E. Griffith
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
E. Lang
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
J.S. Lee
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
J.J. Perry
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
M. Ouellet
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
R. Verreault
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
S. Berthelot
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
E. Mercier
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
N. Allain-Boulé
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
V. Boucher
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
P. Tardif
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC
N. Le Sage
Affiliation:
Université Laval, Québec City, QC

Abstract

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Introduction: The older adult population is growing. The consequences of minor trauma involving a head injury (MT-HI) in independent older adults are largely unknown. This study assessed the impact of a MT-HI on the functional and cognitive outcomes six months post injury of older adults who sustained a minor trauma. Methods: This multicenter prospective cohort study in eight sites included patients who were: aged 65 years or older, presenting to the emergency department (ED) within two weeks of injury with a chief complaint of a minor trauma, discharged within 48 hours, and independent for their basic activities of daily living prior to the ED visit. Participants underwent a baseline evaluation and a follow-up evaluation at six months post-injury. The main outcome was the functional decline measured with the Older Americans’ Resources and Services (OARS) scale six months after the trauma. Results: All 926 eligible patients were included in the analyses: 344 MT-HI patients and 582 without head injury. After six months, the functional decline was similar in both groups, 10.8% and 11.9% respectively (RR=0.79 [95% CI: 0.55-1.14]). The proportion of participants with mild cognitive disabilities was also similar, 21.7% and 22.8% respectively (RR=0.91 [95% CI: 0.71-1.18]). Furthermore, for the group of patients with a MT-HI, the functional outcome was not statistically different with or without the presence of a co-injury (RR= 1.35 [95% CI: 0.71-2.59]), or with or without the presence of a mTBI as defined by the WHO criteria (RR= 0.90 [95% CI: 0.59-1.13]). Conclusion: This study did not demonstrate that the occurrence of a MT-HI is associated with a worse functional or cognitive prognosis than other minor injuries without a head injury in an elderly population six months after injury.

Type
Oral Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2016