title: Isolated rib fractures in elderly patients: mortality and morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the management, morbidity and mortality seen with isolated rib fractures in elderly patients and assess the need for hospitalization.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care centre in Tel Aviv.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital records of 77 elderly patients (age 65 yr and older) admitted with isolated rib fractures were reviewed over a 9-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic, medical and hospitalization data, blood hemoglobin and oxygen saturation levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of fractured ribs was found to correlate with the morbidity (p = 0.027) and mortality (p = 0.006). There were no significant differences in these rates with respect to comorbidity except for diabetes (higher morbidity) and congestive heart failure (higher mortality). Twenty-eight patients (36%) had pulmonary complications and 1 had cardiac complications. Pulmonary complications were fatal in 6 patients (7.8%). Multivariate analysis of the factors related to morbidity demonstrated that only oxygen saturation (p = 0.0009) and diabetes (p = 0.03) correlated significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of significant morbidity and mortality in elderly patients with isolated rib fractures, prediction of the prognosis for these patients is presently not possible. Admission for observation and treatment is therefore justified and beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery A, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. barneay@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Barnea
authors.forename: Hanoch
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashtan
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Skornick
authors.forename: Nahum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Werbin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors