A comparison of the characteristics of injuries between obese and non-obese inpatients.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to compare characteristics of injuries between a sample of U.S. obese and non-obese inpatients.


METHODS
Discharge records from the 2002 Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Use Project were analyzed to identify records including an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification injury diagnosis code (ICD-9-CM). Records with an exclusive obesity comorbidity were isolated, and proportionate injury ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare the demographics and injury characteristics between obese and non-obese persons hospitalized for an injury.


RESULTS
A total of 160,707 discharge records were analyzed. Type and cause of injury that required hospitalization were significantly associated with obesity status (p < 0.001). Sprains, strains, and dislocations represented significantly higher proportions of injury-related hospitalizations among obese persons compared with non-obese persons. By cause of injury, injuries among obese persons were more frequently due to falls, overexertion, and poisonings compared with non-obese persons.


CONCLUSIONS
Injuries that required hospitalization among obese persons may have injury characteristics distinct from injuries among non-obese persons.
Matter
Kristen C
KC
Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus Children's Research Institute, Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
Sinclair
Sara A
SA
Hostetler
Sarah Grim
SG
Xiang
Huiyun
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D010351:Patient Discharge; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*