GCS Score <15 Represents Greater Risk in Elders Than in Younger Patients

At each Glasgow Coma Scale score from 15 to 13, outcomes were worse in elders than in younger patients.

Some emergency medical services systems use a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score cutoff of ≤13 to prompt transport of injured patients to trauma centers. To determine the correlation between GCS scores and outcomes by patient age (16–69 vs. ≥70), researchers reviewed data from the Ohio Trauma Registry for 52,412 patients who were injured between 2002 and 2007. Outcome measures included in-hospital mortality, clinically significant brain injury, neurosurgical intervention, and emergency intubation.

Elders with GCS scores of 14 had significantly higher risk for in-hospital mortality or traumatic brain injury than younger patients with GCS scores of 13 (odds ratios, 4.68 and 1.84, respectively). Among elders, but not among younger patients, mortali…

Reviewing Author

Diane M. Birnbaumer, MD, FACEP

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardSecurisyn

Editorial boardsThe Merck Manuals (Home and Physician Editions)

Diane M. Birnbaumer, MD, FACEP

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardSecurisyn

Editorial boardsThe Merck Manuals (Home and Physician Editions)

GCS Score <15 Represents Greater Risk in Elders Than in Younger Patients

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Reviewing Author