J. Q. To1, A. Allsbrook1, O. R. Pulido3, M. Morgan5, L. L. Perea6, H. Shin3, A. Muller7, C. A. Butts7, M. A. Braverman1 1St. Lukes University Health Network, Division Of Acute Care Surgical Services, Department Of Surgery, Bethlehem, PA, USA 3Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department Of Surgery, Philadelphia, PA, USA 5Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA 6Penn Medicine – Lancaster General Hospital, Division Of Trauma And Acute Care Surgery, Department Of Surgery, Lancaster, PA, USA 7Reading Hospital – Tower Health, Division Of Trauma, Acute Care Surgery & Surgical Critical Care, Department Of Surgery, West Reading, PA, USA
Introduction:
The obesity epidemic plagues the United States effecting approximately 42% of the population. Effects of obesity on injury severity and outcomes have been poorly studied amongst motorcycle collisions (MCC). Previous studies have demonstrated that obese patients have lower injury severity scores (ISS) after falls. One Taiwanese study showed obese patients may have different injury patterns after motorcycle accidents. This study aimed to compare injury severity, mortality, injury regions, and hospital and ICU length of stay (LOS) between obese and normal-weight patients following a MCC.
Methods:
Trauma registries from three separate Pennsylvania Level 1 trauma centers were queried for all adult MCC patients presenting between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020. Obesity was defined as adult patients with a body mass index (BMI) ³ 30 kg/m2 and normal weight was defined as a BMI <30 kg/m2 but ³18.5kg/m2 Demographics and injury characteristics including ISS, abbreviated injury score (AIS) for body regions, mortality, transfusions and lengths of stay were compared. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s chi-squared test while continuous non-normally distributed variables were compared using Mann- Whitney U test. P≤0.05 was considered significant.
Results:
1164 patients were included in the study: 40% obese (n=463) and 60% non-obese (n=701). Comparison of ISS demonstrated no statistically significant difference between obese and normal weight patients with a median ISS (IQR) of 9 (5-14) vs. 9 (5-14), respectively (p=0.29). Obese patients were older with median age of 45 (32-55) years vs. 38 (26-54) years, respectively (p<0.01). Comorbidities were equally distributed amongst obese and non-obese patients except for the incidence of hypertension (30 vs. 13.8%, p<0.01) and diabetes (11 vs. 4.4%, p<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) or AIS body regions (Table 1). Hospital and ICU LOS amongst obese and non-obese patients were similar. Additionally, no significant difference was observed in 30-day mortality between obese and normal weight patients (4.0% vs. 2.9%, respectively, p=0.368).
Conclusion:
Obese patients who experienced a MCC had no differences in distribution of injury, mortality, or hospital length of stay compared to normal-weight adults. Our study differs from current data that obese motorcycle drivers may have different injury characteristics and increased LOS.
