Trauma recidivists: surprisingly better outcomes than initially injured trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in hospital outcomes between trauma recidivists (RCID) and nonrecidivists (NRCID). METHODS: Outcomes of RCID and NRCID were compared. A recidivist was defined as a patient with a history of hospital evaluation for injury within the prior 5 years. Patients with good functional status had a Glasgow Outcome Score of 4 to 5. RESULTS: Of the 2,127 patients admitted, 466 (22%)wereRCID.NRCIDweremore likely to have Injury Severity Score.25 (12%vs 8.6%; P=.04) thanRCID. Eighty-eight percent of RCIDwere dischargedwith a good functional status compared with 83%of RCID (P=.02). NRCID were more likely to be admitted to a critical care unit (43% vs 36%; P =.01), but there was no significant difference in hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: RCID were less severely injured and had better hospital outcomes than NRCID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]