Purpose: Multiple studies have demonstrated a heightened immune response in female animals subjected to trauma-hemorrhage models and have implied a subsequent survival advantage.
Procedures: A retrospective review of outcome in 15,170 trauma admissions over a 5-year-period (1993-1997) at a level 1-trauma center was performed. A comparison of outcome by gender, age, injury severity score (ISS), mechanism of injury, location of injury (AIS), and length of hospitalization (intensive care unit and total hospitalization) was performed.
Findings: There were 12,456 male and 2714 female patients included in the study. Overall survival rates (male = 90.2%, female = 90.8%) and survival of serious (ISS > or = 15) trauma (male = 63.5%, female = 60.5%) were not statistically different. Logistic regression analysis identified age, mechanism and ISS as factors associated with survival.
Conclusion: Retrospective evaluation of our trauma population failed to show a difference in outcome between male and female trauma patients. Age, mechanism and severity of injury-but not gender-were identified as factors influencing survival.