title: Comparative study of trauma in the elderly and non-elderly patients in a University Hospital in Curitiba.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare and identify differences in the profile of elderly and non-elderly patients with trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comparative, cross-sectional, retrospective, quantitative study with 3112 patients between November, 25th 2010 and February, 25th 2011; patients were classified into GI: elderly (60 years or older) and GA: non-elderly (13-59 years). We collected information on the mechanism of trauma, injuries and factors associated with the event, which were compared between groups by using chi-square, Student t and proportions tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Falls were more frequent in GI, mostly from the standing height, while violence and traffic accidents (especially with motorcycles) were the most important in GA. Both groups possessed mild trauma (bruises, sprains) as the most frequent, followed by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and fractures. Femur fractures were more common in the elderly, and hand and wrist fractures in the nonelderly. The elderly were hospitalized fewer days and there was no difference as for complications, need for intensive care unit (ICU), or mortality between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Falls from the standing height are more frequent in the elderly, and motorcycle accidents and interpersonal violence in the non-elderly. Both groups had superficial injuries, head trauma and fractures as major injuries. The elderly were hospitalized for less time. There was no difference in the need for ICU, complications and mortality.
authors.forename: César Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Broska
authors.forename: Augusto Bernardo
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: de Folchini
authors.forename: Ricardo Rydygier
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Ruediger
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult