Obesity in G60 Trauma Patients / Obesity in G60 Trauma Patients

Obesity is a national epidemic that affects all aspects of health care, including trauma care. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1% of US adults 20 years old and older are obese (body mass index [BMI], calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, > 30), and 69% are overweight (BMI > 25) (1, 2). Obesity is a major health concern because of its established relationship with serious medical diseases and increased likelihood of comorbid conditions (eg, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, pulmonary disease) (3). As the number of obese adults continues to increase, the potential number of obese trauma patients with severe injury and complications will also increase (3). Management of prehospital and in-hospital trauma care, including complications associated with airway management, surgical procedures, and radiological imaging, of obese patients can be challenging. However, published reports on how obesity complicates hospital stays after trauma are conflicting (4, 5). Several studies have indicated that obese trauma patients are more likely than non-obese patients to have longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital, more days of mechanical ventilation, more complications, and comorbid conditions, and higher mortality (6,7,8). Other studies have indicated no differences between obese and nonobese patients in mortality, length of stay in the ICU and the hospital, duration of mechanical ventilation, complications, or comorbid conditions (9). Accordingly, the main aim of this study is to investigate and compare hospital course, clinical outcomes, disposition, and the cost of treatment between geriatric obese and non-obese patients hospitalized for treatment of traumatic injuries.