Pattern Of Mortality Among Orthopaedic Patients Of A University Teaching Hospital: A Ten Year Review

Background: The patient with orthopaedic or traumatic condition that warrants in-patient care as dictated by the severity of the condition, the nature of intervention and the peculiarities of the patient is regarded as the hospitalized orthopaedic patient. Such patients generally have musculoskeletal conditions that require surgical intervention or close monitoring to improve the outcome of care. Complications may occur following such surgeries or intensive care, mortality being perhaps the most adverse endpoint of such complications

Aim: This study aims to determine the prevalence and spectrum of mortality among hospitalized orthopedic patients in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.

Method: This was a retrospective review of ward admission records, in-patient records, theater records and death certificates of orthopaedic patients who died while on admission in the orthopadic wards of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Data obtained was analyzed descriptively. Results were presented in tables and charts where necessary. Chi-square test and students’t-test for continuous variables were used where appropriate to test observed differences, and p-value of <0.05 was deemed statistically significant

Results: Total admission within the study period were 4,680. There were a total of 105 mortalities giving a crude mortality rate of 2.24% with the 20-44 age group contributing nearly half of the number. This study had more deaths from traumatic spinal cord injury (n=52, 49.8%) than from most other causes combined. Mortality was higher (n=88, 83.8%) in patients who stayed for less than 30 days compared to those who stayed more than 30 days (n=17, 16.2%) with 75% of the mortalities occurring during the night shift.

背景：因病情严重程度、干预方式特性及患者个体特殊情况符合住院治疗指征的骨科（orthopaedic）或创伤性病症患者，被定义为住院骨科患者。此类患者多罹患肌肉骨骼系统病症，需接受手术干预或密切监护以优化诊疗结局。此类手术或重症监护后可能出现并发症，而死亡或许是此类并发症最严重的转归结局。
研究目的：本研究旨在明确哈科特港大学教学医院（University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital）住院骨科患者的死亡患病率及死亡原因谱。
研究方法：本研究为回顾性分析，纳入哈科特港大学教学医院（University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital）骨科病房住院期间死亡的骨科患者，调取其病房入院记录、住院病历、手术记录及死亡证明书进行回顾性分析。对所获数据进行描述性统计分析，必要时以表格及图表呈现结果。针对连续变量，适时采用卡方检验（chi-square test）与t检验（Student's t-test）比较组间差异，以p值<0.05为差异具有统计学意义。
研究结果：本研究周期内总入院患者例数为4680例，其中共105例死亡，粗死亡率为2.24%，20~44岁年龄组死亡人数占比近半数。本研究中创伤性脊髓损伤所致死亡（n=52，49.8%）的例数多于其余所有病因所致死亡例数之和。住院时长不足30天的患者死亡占比更高（n=88，83.8%），而住院时长超过30天的患者死亡占比为16.2%（n=17）；另有75%的死亡事件发生于夜班时段。