• Gary Alan Bass, Caoimhe C Duffy, Lewis J Kaplan, Babak Sarani, Niels D Martin, IsmailAhmad MohammadAMSchool of Medical Sciences, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden., Yang Cao, Maximilian Peter Forssten, and Shahin Mohseni.
• Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; School of Medical Sciences, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden; Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Center for Peri-Operative Outcomes Research and Transformation (CPORT), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
• Injury. 2023 Jan 1; 54 (1): 566256-62.

BackgroundRisk factors for mortality and in-hospital morbidity among geriatric patients with traumatic rib fractures remain unclear. Such patients are often frail and demonstrate a high comorbidity burden. Moreover, outcomes anticipated by current rubrics may reflect the influence of multisystem injury or surgery, and thus not apply to isolated injuries in geriatric patients. We hypothesized that the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) may assist in risk-stratifying geriatric patients following rib fracture.MethodsAll geriatric patients (age ≥65 years) with a conservatively managed rib fracture owing to an isolated thoracic injury (thorax AIS ≥1), in the 2013-2019 TQIP database were assessed including demographics and outcomes. The association between the RCRI and in-hospital morbidity as well as mortality was analyzed using Poisson regression models while adjusting for potential confounders.Results96,750 geriatric patients sustained rib fractures. Compared to those with RCRI 0, patients with an RCRI score of 1 had a 16% increased risk of in-hospital mortality [adjusted incidence rate ratio (adj-IRR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16 (1.02-1.32), p=0.020]. An RCRI score of 2 [adj-IRR (95% CI): 1.72 (1.44-2.06), p<0.001] or ≥3 [adj-IRR (95% CI): 3.07 (2.31-4.09), p<0.001] was associated with an even greater mortality risk. Those with an increased RCRI also exhibited a higher incidence of myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.ConclusionsGeriatric patients with rib fractures and an RCRI ≥1 represent a vulnerable and high-risk group. This index may inform the decision to admit for inpatient care and can also guide patient and family counseling as well as computer-based decision-support.Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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