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Objective: To identify the type and mechanism of trauma-based on patients’ characteristics at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study was a retrospective cohort observational study using the Trauma Registry of King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study period was from January 2015 to December 2018. The data gathered were demographic information, mortality, type and mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Triage Revised Trauma Scale (T-RTS). Categorical data are described with percentage and frequency, and numerical data with mean and standard deviation. A Chi-square was used to assess the relationship between the type of trauma and patient characteristics. A Fisher exact test was used to compare the type of injury with the other variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 4083 participants. The majority were male (79.9%, n=3263). Blunt trauma was the most prevalent type of injury (87.4%, n=3570, p<0.001). A motor vehicle accident was the most prevalent mechanism of injury (42.1%, n=1717). The highest proportion of trauma per age group was in the 21-30 year age group (32.6%, n=1331). The lowest GCS and RTS mean scores were observed in blunt trauma (p<0.001 and 0.001 respectively). In addition, the highest ISS mean score was observed in the blunt trauma subgroup (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study highlights the type and mechanism of trauma at KAMC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, based on gender, age groups, types of trauma and mechanisms of injury. This data will be a valuable resource for the local healthcare system.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXTO: Os acidentes rodoviários são acontecimentos potencialmente traumáticos que podem originar transtornos psicológicos, designadamente transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT). Os estudos são controversos quanto ao poder preditivo da dissociação peritraumática e os sintomas de transtorno de estresse agudo (TEA) para predizer TEPT, mas referem que as mulheres reportam mais sintomas de transtorno pós-exposição traumática. OBJETIVO: Analisar o contributo da dissociação peritraumática, dos sintomas de TEA e do gênero para predizer TEPT quatro meses após o acidente. MÉTODO: Cento e vinte e quatro homens e mulheres, vítimas de acidentes graves, avaliados no hospital (t1) e reavaliados quatro meses depois (t2). RESULTADOS: Entre os participantes, 64,5% apresentam TEA (t1) e 58,9%, TEPT (t2). Os sintomas de dissociação peritraumática e TEA correlacionam-se positivamente com os sintomas de TEPT. As mulheres reportam mais dissociação peritraumática, TEA e TEPT. A dissociação peritraumática, o TEA e o gênero (feminino) explicam 26,8% da variância de TEPT, sendo o contributo do gênero marginalmente significativo. CONCLUSÕES: O número de vítimas com sintomas de TEPT após acidente grave é elevado e os sintomas peritraumáticos são preditores de TEPT, sugerindo a necessidade de considerar os sintomas iniciais na prevenção de transtorno posterior.
BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are traumatic experiences that are related to psychological disorders as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Peritraumatic dissociation and acute stress disorder (ASD) have been studied as predictors of PTSD. Studies have also found that women report more psychological symptoms after traumatic experiences than do men. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the explanatory contribution of peritraumatic dissociative experiences, ASD symptoms and gender toward the subsequent development of PTSD. METHOD: One hundred twenty-four male and female victims of serious MVA were evaluated at the hospital (t1) and four months after the MVA (t2). Participants completed a peritraumatic dissociative experiences questionnaire (PDEQ) (t1), a questionnaire used to evaluate ASD (SASRQ) (t1) and a traumatic event scale (RTES) used to evaluate PTSD (t2). RESULTS: Of the studied population, 64.5% report ASD (t1) and 58.9% report PTSD (t2). Peritraumatic dissociation and ASD symptoms are positively correlated with PTSD symptoms. Females report more peritraumatic dissociation, ASD and PTSD than do males. Peritraumatic dissociation, ASD and gender (female) explain 26.8% of the observed variance in PTSD symptoms (t2), with gender contributing only marginally to the model. DISCUSSION: A high rate of MVA victims report PTSD, and peritraumatic responses predict the subsequent development of PTSD, suggesting the need to consider these predictors in methods for the prevention of psychopathology.
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Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic , Accidents, Traffic , Portugal , Dissociative DisordersABSTRACT
This study was conducted to assess the trends of drunk driving offences in Mauritius, and the relationship with motor vehicle accidents. It is well known that driving under the influence of alcohol increases the risk of motor vehicle accidents. Data obtained from police road safety unit (1999–2001) and forensic science laboratory (1992–2000) were analyzed. More than 85% of drunk drivers had BAC above 0.08%. In 2003, the permissible blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit had been lowered from 0.08 to 0.05. This article provides a summary of the evidence regarding the benefits of reducing the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for driving. Although moderate alcohol intake (20 grams ethanol; two standard drinks or less) may not violate BAC laws, it still carries significant risk of motor-vehicle accidents.