Characteristic | Categories | Control period | Intervention period | Overall |
Gender | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Male | 65 (65.0%) | 53 (69.7%) | 118 (67.1%) | |
Female | 35 (35.0%) | 23 (30.3%) | 58 (32.9%) | |
Age | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Years | 48.9 (17.8) | 55.0 (17.8) | 51.5 (18.0)* | |
Number of clinically suspected rib fractures | Number | n=100 0 (0, 1) | n=76 1 (0, 2) | n=176 0.5 (0, 1)* |
Preinjury anticoagulant use | n=99 | n=73 | n=172 | |
Yes | 3 (3.0%) | 6 (8.2%) | 9 (5.2%) | |
No | 96 (97.0%) | 67 (91.8%) | 163 (94.8%) | |
Pre-existing lung disease | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Yes | 10 (10.0%) | 7 (9.2%) | 17 (9.7%) | |
No | 90 (90.0%) | 69 (90.8%) | 159 (90.3%) | |
Oxygen saturation at initial assessment | n=92 | n=70 | n=162 | |
95%–100% | 80 (87.0%) | 67 (95.7%) | 147 (90.7%) | |
94%–90% | 11 (12.0%) | 3 (4.3%) | 14 (8.6%) | |
85%–89% | 1 (1.09%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.6%) | |
80%–84% | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
75%–79% | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
70%–74% | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
Prognostic model | Total score | n=91 5 (3–9) | n=67 9 (5–13) | n=158 7 (4–11)* |
Mechanism of injury | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Low velocity fall | 27 (27.0%) | 44 (57.9%) | 71 (40.3%)† | |
High velocity fall | 14 (14.0%) | 9 (11.8%) | 23 (13.1%) | |
RTA | 20 (20.0%) | 5 (6.6%) | 25 (14.2%)† | |
Contact sport | 4 (4.0%) | 3 (3.9%) | 7 (4.0%) | |
Alleged assault | 7 (7.0%) | 5 (6.6%) | 12 (6.8%) | |
Other | 28 (28.0%) | 10 (13.2%) | 38 (21.6%) | |
Quality of life score (measured by SF-12) | Physical Component Score | n=100 41.0 (30.7–49.9) | n=76 43.6 (31.8–52.1) | n=176 41.5 (31.5–50.2) |
Mental Component Score | n=100 54.0 (44.5–59.4) | n=76 55.8 (50.2–58.0) | n=176 55.3 (46.4–59.0) | |
Presenting with pulmonary complications | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Yes | 1 (1.0%) | 5 (6.6%) | 6 (3.4%) | |
No | 99 (99.0%) | 71 (93.4%) | 170 (96.6%) | |
Preinjury antiplatelet use | n=99 | n=73 | n=172 | |
Yes | 5 (5.1%) | 6 (8.2%) | 11 (6.4%) | |
No | 94 (94.9%) | 67 (91.8%) | 161 (93.6%) | |
Frailty score | n=92 | n=60 | n=152 | |
Very fit | 50 (54.3.%) | 32 (53.3%) | 82 (53.9%) | |
Well | 24 (26.1%) | 19 (31.7%) | 43 (28.3%) | |
Managing well | 8 (8.70) | 5 (8.3%) | 13 (8.6%) | |
Vulnerable | 9 (9.8%) | 1 (1.7%) | 10 (6.6%) | |
Moderately frail | 1 (1.1%) | 2 (3.3%) | 3 (2.0%) | |
Severely frail | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (1.7%) | 1 (0.7%) | |
Presented at major trauma centre | n=100 | n=76 | n=176 | |
Yes | 66 (66.0%) | 32 (42.1%) | 98 (55.7%)† | |
No | 34 (34.0%) | 44 (57.9%) | 78 (44.3%) | |
Time site in trial stage at presentation | Time in days | 36.5 (18–57) | 23.5 (11–46) | 29.5 (15–54)* |
Mean (SD); median (IQR); n, non-missing sample size; number (%).
*Significant p<0.05 using Wilcoxon rank sum test.
†Significant p<0.05 using Fisher’s exact test.
RTA, road traffic accident.