Functional outcomes following injury in centenarians: a nationwide retrospective observational study

Background: Advances in healthcare and the development of various technologies have improved disease-free longevity. Although the number of healthy centenarians is gradually increasing, studies on postinjury functions among centenarians are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to determine the clinical predictors of mortality and unfavorable functions after injury among centenarians. Method: A retrospective study was conducted using a nationwide trauma database, and data from patients aged ≥ 100 years across ≥ 250 institutions during 2019–2022 were analyzed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, mechanism of injury, injury severity, vital signs on arrival, and pre- and in-hospital treatments were compared between survivors and non-survivors as well as between survivors who had and did not have the ability to live independently at discharge, which was defined as Glasgow Outcome Scale (GCS) score of ≤ 3. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality and unfavorable functions after injury were examined using a generalized estimating equation model to account for institutional and regional differences in the management and characteristics of centenarians. Results: Of the 409 centenarians, 384 (93.9%) survived to discharge. Although 208 (50.9%) patients had lived independently before the injury, only 91 (22.2%) could live independently at discharge. All patients had blunt injury, and fall from standing was the most frequent (86.6%) mechanism. The injury severity score was 10 ± 5, and surgery/angiography was performed in < 2% of the centenarians, except for fracture fixation in the extremity/pelvis, which was conducted in 225 (55.0%) patients. The adjusted model revealed three independent predictors of in-hospital mortality: male gender, mechanism of injury other than fall from standing, and GCS score on arrival. In contrast, only injury severity in the extremity/pelvis was an independent predictor of unfavorable functions after injury. Conclusion: Male gender, mechanisms of injury other than fall from standing, and GCS on arrival were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Injury severity in the extremity/pelvis was related to dependent living after injury among centenarians.