Fat or thin: Does it impact outcomes in polytrauma?. (October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cramer, Christopher; Rueger, Johannes M; Hoffmann, Michael
• Is Part Of: Trauma. Volume 15:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 301
• Page End: 307
• Publication Date: 2013-10
• Subjects: BMI -- trauma -- outcome -- obesity -- underweight; Traumatology -- Periodicals; Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1177/1460408613497147
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1460-4086

Abstract

Polytrauma mortality rates have been continuously decreasing in recent years. Due to rising prevalence of obesity, overweight patients are increasing in numbers within the polytrauma population. The body mass index (BMI) provides information about nutritional status. Varying results have been reported concerning the effect of body mass index on polytrauma outcome. Both obesity and the condition of being underweight are independent risk factors for increased polytrauma mortality. While being underweight is associated with early polytrauma mortality, the presence of obesity correlates with higher rates of multi-organ failure and sepsis and is associated with late polytrauma mortality.