Firearm injuries, a review of 135 cases at King Hussein Medical Center-Jordan

This is a retrospective study of 135 cases of non fatal firearm injury in various age and sex, who attended the Emergency Department at King Hussein Medical Center, in two years duration 1/1/2002 - 31/12/2003. Data are presented with reference to age, sex, anatomical location of injury, duration of hospitalization and long-term complication. The age range of all firearm injuries in the study period was 2 to 62 years with a median age is 32.2 years. The majority were in the groups aged 10-19 years [47%] and aged 20-29 years [37%], 97 [72%] were male and 38 [28%] were female [male: female ratio is 2.5:1]. The length of stay in Hospital ranged from one day to 98 days, the mean stay was 13 days. Lower extremities were the most common site of injury [62.46%], followed by the abdominal injury accounting for 23 [17.5%]. Chest injury and thoraco-abdomen injuries were 33 [24.5%]. Resection of one organ or more was done for 15 patients [11%], lower limb weakness was seen in 9 cases [6.6%], pneumonectomy done just for one patient out of 37 patients having thoracic injury and only one patient out of 135 cases of non fatal injury to head and neck complicated by paraplegia. The economic costs of acute and long-term care of debilitating injuries and their complications and the lost productivity are serious and important problems for these non-fatal and "preventable in injuries" especially in young age group

Admissions in diabetic patients

To determine the causes of admissions of diabetic patients to the medical unit of King Hussein Medical Center, mortality and risk factors and to determine possible ways to reduce admissions, cost and mortality.Retrospective analysis of diabetic admissions to the medical unit of King Hussein Medical Center between January 2001 and December 2002. Patients age, sex, body mass index, type and duration of diabetes mellitus, mode of treatment, degree of blood glucose control, presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking were recorded as well as the causes of admissions and mortality, A total of 8420 patients were admitted, 15% of them were diabetics. Admissions for blood glucose control and for macrovascular complications were found in 19% and 36% respectively. Mortality rate was 11%. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, obesity, infection, poor glycemic control, long duration of diabetes mellitus and long hospital stay were risk factors associated with high mortality. Macrovascular complications and uncontrolled blood glucose were the most common causes of admissions. Control of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cessation of smoking and weight reduction will not only decrease the risk of macrovascular complications, but also in addition to patient's education for tight blood glucose control, will decrease the rate, cost and mortality of diabetic admissions