title: Outcome of elderly patients injured at winter resorts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined hospital outcomes in elderly patients injured at winter resorts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included patients age 12 and over who presented to a regional trauma center with an acute injury sustained at a winter resort. Injury information was prospectively obtained using a questionnaire. Emergency department and hospital data were obtained from trauma registry and hospital records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred ninety-three patients presented during the study period (67 were ≥65 years). Elderly patients were more likely to have a preexisting health condition (31% vs 4%, P < .05), undergo hospital admission (76% vs 56%, P < .05), have longer hospital length of stay (P < .05), and have lower injury severity (P < .05). Both groups had a similar proportion of predefined in-hospital complications and comparable hospital discharge outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active elderly patients injured at winter resorts had higher inpatient admission rates and longer hospital length of stay when compared with a younger cohort, despite lower injury severity scores and comparable discharge outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. christy.mccowan@hsc.utah.edu
authors.forename: Christy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Youngquist
authors.forename: Eliza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Troy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult