Table 1

Enrolment and infection rates by patient age, gender, mechanism of injury, laceration length and wound location subdivided into sterile saline and tap water groups

ClassificationEnrolment (%)Infection (%)
SalineWaterpSalineWater
Age (years)0.37
 0–1046(14.7)48(15.1)2(4.3±5.9)1(2.1±4.0)
 11–2045(14.4)50(15.7)3(6.7±7.3)3(6.0±6.6)
 21–3087(27.8)100(31.4)4(4.6±4.4)2(2.0±2.7)
 31–4059(18.8)66(20.8)2(3.4±4.6)2(3.0±4.1)
 41–5041(13.1)28(8.8)6(14.6±10.8)0(0.0)
 Over 5035(11.2)26(8.2)3(8.6±9.3)3(11.5±12.3)
Gender0.89
 Male213(68.1)218(68.6)10(4.7±2.8)7(3.2±2.3)
 Female100(31.9)100(31.4)10(10.0±5.9)4(4.0±3.8)
Mechanism0.86
 Blunt174(55.6)179(56.3)12(6.9±3.8)7(3.9±2.8)
 Sharp139(44.4)139(43.7)8(5.8±3.9)4(2.9±2.8)
Laceration length0.40
 <3 cm213(68.1)218(68.6)11(5.2±3.0)6(2.8±2.2)
 3.1–6 cm69(22.0)68(21.4)7(10.1±7.1)4(5.9±5.6)
 >6 cm9(2.9)16(5.0)1(11.1±20.5)1(8.3±1.6)
 Not recorded22(7.0)16(5.0)1(4.5±8.7)0(0.0)
Wound site0.99
 Head or neck134(42.8)136(42.8)3(2.2±2.5)2(1.5±2.0)
 Trunk1(0.3)0(0.0)0(0.0)0(0.0)
 Prox extremity52(16.6)54(17.0)8(15.4±9.8)6(11.1±8.4)
 Distal extremity126(40.3)128(40.3)9(7.1±4.5)3(2.3±2.6)
Overall data
313(100.0)318(100.0)20(6.4±2.7)11(3.5±2.0)
  • p Values for statistical enrolment diference were calculated by χ2 or the Fischer's exact test (*a 95% CI included for infection rates).