title: A multicenter evaluation of whether gender dimorphism affects survival after trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The frequency of women who have sustained severe injuries has increased over the past 30 years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether severely injured women have a survival advantage over men. To address this issue, we undertook a multicenter evaluation of the effects of gender dimorphism on survival in trauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient information was collected from the databases of three level I trauma centers. We included all consecutive patients who were admitted to these centers over a 4-year period. We evaluated the effects of age, gender, mechanism of injury, pattern of injury, Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS), and Injury Severity Score (ISS) on survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 20,261 patients were admitted to the three trauma centers. Women who were younger than 50 years of age (mortality rate 5%) experienced a survival advantage over men (mortality rate 7%) of equal age (odds ratio 1.27, P <0.002). This advantage was most notably found in the more severely injured (ISS >25) group (mortality rate 28% in women versus 33% in men). This difference was not attributable to mechanism of injury, severity of injury, or pattern of injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severely injured women younger than 50 years of age have a survival advantage when compared with men of equal age and injury severity. Young men have a 27% greater chance of dying than women after trauma. We conclude that gender dimorphism affects the survival of patients after trauma.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Wohltmann
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Franklin
authors: P W
authors: PW
authors: Boaz
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Luchette
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Kearney
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Richardson
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Spain
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015996:Survival Rate; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000401:mortality; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000401:mortality