Observational studyEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2025
Clinical presentation, acute care management and discharge information of patients with thoracic trauma in South Africa and Sweden: a prospective multicenter observational study.
Observational study in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- A New Breathing Technique for Pain Management in Patients With Thoracic Trauma: A Randomised Trial.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Trial
- Profile and management of patients from low-middle socioeconomic status with thoracic trauma.The South African journal of physiotherapy · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
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Abstract
purposeThoracic trauma causes pain and hospitalisation. Middle- and high-income countries have different trauma contexts and populations. To report patients' clinical presentation (pain and shortness of breath) and its influence on hospital length of stay (LOS), acute care management, and discharge destinations in South Africa (SA) and Sweden.
methodsProspective observational multicenter study by means of clinical record review. Two centers in SA and four centers in Sweden participated. One thousand nine hundred and eighteen adults with thoracic trauma were screened over the 20 months period. Study objectives guided information retrieved from clinical records. Statistical analysis was done with significance at p-value < 0.05.
resultsThree-hundred-sixty-four participants were recruited with most being male (n = 170/179 (95%) SA; n = 125/185 (68%) Sweden). Type and mechanism of injury differed (SA penetrating (82%) versus Sweden blunt (95%); SA assaults (90%) versus Sweden falls (44%)). Unilateral haemopneumothorax was common (SA 68%, Sweden 35%) and managed with intercostal drainage. Rib cage injuries were common in the Swedish cohort with rib fixation surgery for 17%. Physiotherapy treatment frequency was mostly daily. Blunt injury resulted in higher pain levels during deep breathing (day 1: p = 0.014; day 2: p < 0.001; day 3: p < 0.001) and shortness of breath during activity (day 1: p = 0.036; day 2: p = 0.003; day 3: p < 0.001). LOS was shorter for SA cohort (5 (± 4) versus 7 (± 5) days; p = 0.024). Age influenced LOS in the blunt injury group. Discharge destination was mostly home (99% SA, 56% Sweden).
conclusionPriority care is indicated for those who are older and have blunt thoracic injury to prevent pulmonary complications and prolonged hospitalisation.
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