Injury
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Elderly people, due to neurological conditions and muscular atrophy, present a greater propensity to falls and thus are very susceptible to hip fractures. Other variables, such as osteoporosis, may also be related to the etiopathogenesis of hip fractures, although osteoporosis is in fact a concurrent disease, and merely a coadjutant cause. Nonetheless, osteoporosis can make fracture patterns more severe and interfere with osteosynthesis. ⋯ Furthermore, increased crystal size, increased cortical porosity, reduced osteocyte lacunar density and an increased Ca/P ratio associated with higher concentrations of Ca and P were described in hip fracture patients compared to control patients. Osteocalcin/collagen type 1 expression ratio and enzymatic cross-link content in high-density bone was found to be significantly lower in hip fractures compared to controls. In conclusion, further research in bone mineral density and associated parameters are of interest to deepen the understanding of osteoporotic hip fractures.
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This manuscript will evaluate the published evidence on efficacy of organized hip fracture programs to determine if they improve patient outcomes. A detailed literature search was conducted to find manuscripts published in the past 20 years about organized hip fracture care programs. Seventeen programs with published results were identified from this detailed search and these were evaluated and synthesized in the following manuscript. ⋯ The more complex program designs have a more profound effect on improvement in outcomes for hip fracture patients. Most programs have reported reduced length of stay, reduced in-hospital mortality rates, and reduced complications. Some programs have reported reduced costs and reduced readmission rates after implementing an organized hip fracture program.
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In 2009, a commercial airplane crashed near Amsterdam. This longitudinal study aims to investigate (1) the proportion of survivors of the airplane crash showing a probable posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) or depressive disorder, and (2) whether symptoms of PTSD and depression were predicted by trauma characteristics. Identifying these trauma characteristics is crucial for early detection and treatment. ⋯ There were no differences in seating position between participants at high risk vs. participants at low risk for PTSD or depression. Mixed design ANOVAs showed also no association between the course of symptoms of PTSD and depression 2 and 9 months after the crash and ISS or hospitalisation. This suggests that health care providers need to be aware that survivors may be at risk for PTSD or depression, regardless of the objective severity of their physical injuries.
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to assess the severity and treatment of "occult" intra-abdominal injuries in blunt trauma victims. ⋯ Severe "occult" intra-abdominal injuries, requiring specific treatment, may be present in adult blunt trauma patients.
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The influence of non-medical factors on the volume of procedures undergone by TBI patients remains an issue of debate. We investigated the association of lack of insurance and African-American race with the procedural volume of TBI patients. ⋯ During the hospitalization of TBI patients, lack of insurance was associated with lower procedural volume. When controlling for insurance status, we did not observe any race associated disparities in procedural volume.