Impact of preinjury warfarin use in elderly trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the hypothesis that elderly trauma patients on warfarin before injury will have increased morbidity and mortality compared with elderly trauma patients not on warfarin.

METHODS: From 1993 to 1995, trauma patients were grouped by age and presence or absence of warfarin use before injury. Groups were analyzed with respect to Injury Severity Score, Trauma Registry and Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Intensive Care Unit days, hospital days, units of blood transfused, and mortality rates. Statistical analysis was completed by using the Student's t test.

RESULTS: Records of 61 patients administered warfarin and 800 patients not administered warfarin were available for analysis. There were no statistically significant differences between patients on prehospital warfarin and those not on prehospital warfarin.

CONCLUSION: This study indicates that elderly trauma patients on warfarin before injury do not have increased morbidity and mortality compared with elderly trauma patients not on warfarin.