Background
Falling down a flight of stairs is a common injury mechanism in major
trauma patients, but little research has been undertaken into the impact of
age and alcohol intoxication on the injury patterns of these patients.
Objectives
The objective of this study was to compare the impact of age and alcohol
intoxication on injury pattern and severity in patients who fell down a flight
of stairs.
Methods
This was a retrospective observational study of prospectively collected
trauma registry data from a major trauma centre in the United Kingdom
comparing older and younger adult patients admitted to the Emergency
Department following a fall down a flight of stairs between July 2012 and
March 2015.
Results
Older patients were more likely to suffer injuries to all body regions, and
sustained more severe injuries to the spine (AIS 2[IQR 2 – 3] vs AIS 2
[IQR 2 – 2] p<0.001). They were also more likely to suffer polytrauma
(23.6% vs 10.6%; p<0.001). Intoxicated patients were more likely to
suffer injuries to the head and neck (42.9% vs 30.5%; p=0.006) and were
significantly younger than sober patients (53 years vs 69 years; p<0.001).
Conclusion
Older patients who fall down a flight of stairs are significantly different
from their younger counterparts, with a different injury pattern and a
greater likelihood of polytrauma. In addition, alcohol intoxication also
affects injury pattern in people who have fallen down a flight of stairs,
increasing the risk of traumatic brain injury. Both age and intoxication
should be considered when managing these patients
