Functional outcome and quality of life in victims of terrorist explosions as compared to conventional trauma

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery : Official Publication of the European Trauma Society
D Serralta-ColsaF Turegano-Fuentes

Abstract

Following trauma, the number of preventable deaths is low. Outcome should also be measured in terms of quality of life (QoL). Studies analyzing QoL in trauma patients have been published, but little is known about the long term QoL of victims of terrorist attacks. This is a case-control study of casualties of the March 11, 2004 attacks in Madrid. Patients treated for other trauma with similar age and Injury Severity Score (ISS), served as controls. Patients were assessed using the POLO-Chart (VAS, SF-36 and TOP). Fifty-eight patients were included, 32 casualties admitted following the March 11, 2004 attacks and 26 controls. Both groups were comparable in age (average = 37), ISS (average = 23) and time from trauma (average = 1,770 days). Subjects demonstrated lower scores for the VAS, and the SF-36 clusters social functioning, role emotional and mental health. There was a tendency towards higher prevalence of symptoms associated to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in subjects (p = 0.056). Subjects suffered from higher residual pain in the head region (p = 0.032). Strong association was found between the presence of symptoms associated to depression, anxiety and PTSD and worse QoL (p < 0.001). Subjects present more emotional ...Continue Reading

References

Oct 13, 2006·The Journal of Trauma·James M KielyJohn A Weigelt
Mar 22, 2007·Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery·Nicola PirenteEdmund A M Neugebauer

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