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One-year development of QOL following orthopaedic polytrauma: a prospective observational cohort study of 53 patients

  • Trauma Surgery
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Abstract

Introduction

Most studies of polytrauma examined highly mixed patient groups. The objective of the present study was to report the development of patient-reported quality of life (QOL), in a patient group with musculoskeletal polytrauma, excluding patients with major thoracic, abdominal, and brain injuries.

Materials and methods

The study design was a 1-year cohort follow-up study. Recordings of injury severity were measured with the ISS and NISS. Patient-reported QOL was measured with the questionnaires Eq5d-5L and SF-36 and compared to age-matched reference populations. Moreover, patients return to work status was measured. Data were collected prospectively at discharge, 3, 6, and 12 months.

Results

53 patients were included. The mean age was 42.3 years, ranging from 17 to 78 years. Twelve months after trauma admission, the mean Eq5d-5L index was 0.601 (95 % CI 0.546–0.657). A progressive increasing Eq5d-5L index and SF-36 PCS was observed between the discharge and the 12-month follow-up (p < 0.001). The development in QOL from 6 to 12 months almost shows identically scores. Throughout the study period, patients reported significant worse QOL compared with the established reference population. 32 % of patients have resumed earlier employment status at 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions

Throughout the 12-month observational period, patients reported worse QOL compared to the age-matched reference population. The development of QOL from 6- to 12-month time points almost showed identically scores with only little improvement. At the end of 1-year follow-up, 32 % of patients had resumed prior employment status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, 18-22 Hobrovej., 9000, Aalborg, Denmark

    Peter Larsen & Annika B. Iyer

  2. Clinic for Neuro- and Orthopedic Diseases, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

    Charlotte B. Goethgen

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

    Charlotte B. Goethgen, Sten Rasmussen & Rasmus Elsoe

  4. Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

    Sten Rasmussen

Authors
  1. Peter Larsen
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  2. Charlotte B. Goethgen
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  3. Sten Rasmussen
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  4. Annika B. Iyer
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Correspondence to Peter Larsen.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors did not receive benefits or grants in any form from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

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Larsen, P., Goethgen, C.B., Rasmussen, S. et al. One-year development of QOL following orthopaedic polytrauma: a prospective observational cohort study of 53 patients. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 136, 1539–1546 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2550-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2550-5

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