[Long-term results after multiple trauma with ISS ≥ 25. Outcome and predictors of quality of life]

Abstract

Background: The survival chances of multiple trauma patients have continually improved over the last decades; therefore, it is often not a question of whether a patient survives a severe accident but rather how the patient survives.

Methods: In a retrospective study 127 patients were questioned regarding quality of life and health and possible influencing factors using the POLO chart an average of 70 months after suffering severe trauma (ISS Ø 35.6).

Results: The quality of life of severely injured patients is significantly reduced compared with the normal population even years after the trauma. In addition to four pretraumatic factors (older age, female gender, low education and previous illnesses) four posttraumatic variables (difficulties with authorities/institutions and unemployment as a consequence of the accident, long duration and subjectively inadequate treatment in hospital) were identified that have a negative impact on long-term quality of life.

Conclusions: The self-reported quality of life after multiple trauma no longer permanently achieves the original level despite extensive rehabilitation measures. Post-traumatic factors have a greater impact on the long-term quality of life than the injury severity. A long-term care and specialized rehabilitation services are needed to improve outcome further.