title: Impaired quality of life after bicycle trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bicycle crashes often affect individuals in working age, and can impair quality of life (QoL) as a consequence. The aim of this study was to investigate QoL in bicycle trauma patients and to identify those at risk of impaired QoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  173 bicycle trauma patients who attended a level I trauma centre from 2010 to 2012 received Hadorn's QoL questionnaire six months after their crash. Medical data was collected from the patient's records. Univariate ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate the association between QoL and other factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  148 patients returned the questionnaire (85.5%). The majority had only mild or minor injuries (85.1%; n=126). However, 72.1% (n=106) still suffered from pain or other physical symptoms more than six months after their bicycle crash. Patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤13 or an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15 experienced impaired emotions/outlook on life (p-values 0.003 and 0.045, respectively). Physical suffering was reported by patients with a GCS ≤13 and in those with injuries to the cervical spine (p-values 0.02 and 0.025, respectively). Patients with an ISS >15 or facial fractures experienced limitations in daily activities (p-values 0.031 and 0.025, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 70% of bicycle trauma patients suffered physically more than six months after their crash, even though only 15% were severely injured. Risk factors for an impaired QoL were cervical spine injuries or facial fractures, a GCS ≤13 and an ISS >15.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Gastrocentrum, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: evelyne.zibung-hofmann@karolinska.se.
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zibung
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Gastrocentrum, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: louis.riddez@karolinska.se.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riddez
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden; Gastrocentrum, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: caroline.nordenvall@ki.se.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordenvall
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries* / Q000523:psychology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bicycle trauma; Outcome; Population-based study; Quality of life