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Table 3 Characteristics of patients attended by HEMS in primary scene responses

From: Primary scene responses by Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in New South Wales Australia 2008–2009

Patient characteristics

N (%)

AGE

(N=589; 7 missing)

<=16

89 (15.1%)

17-30

162 (27.5%)

31-45

147 (25%)

46-60

113 (19.2%)

61+

78 (13.2%)

SEX

(N=590; 6 missing)

MALE

434 (73.6%)

FEMALE

156 (26.4%)

INCIDENT

(N=596; 0 missing)

ROAD

259 (43.5%)

FALL

110 (18.5%)

SPORT

66 (11.1%)

OTHER

71 (11.9%)

UNKNOWN1

49 (8.2%)

NON-TRAUMA

41 (6.9%)

PATIENT DIAGNOSIS

 

TRAUMA DX2

(N=555; 0 missing)

ABDOMEN

23 (3%)

BURNS

12 (1.6%)

CHEST

70 (9.2%)

EXTREMITY

238 (31.4%)

HEAD

180 (23.7%)

MULTI

115 (15.2%)

OTHER

30 (4%)

PELVIS

32 (4.2%)

SPINAL

101 (13.3%)

NON-TRAUMA DX

(N=40; 1 missing)

CARDIOVASCULAR

16 (2%)

GASTROINTESTINAL

3 (0.4%)

METABOLIC

7 (1%)

NEUROLOGIC

3 (0.4%)

OTHER

8 (1%)

RESPIRATORY

3 (0.4%)

CLINICAL CONDITION

(N=595; 1 missing)

DIED PRE ARRIVAL

9 (1.5%)

DIED POST ARRIVAL OR ENROUTE

11 (1.9%)

UNSTABLE INITIALLY AND DIDNT IMPROVE

27 (4.5%)

UNSTABLE INITIALLY AND IMPORVED

74 (12.4%)

STABLE INITIALLY AND DETERIORATED

8 (1.3%)

STABLE THROUGHOUT

466 (78.3%)

PHYSIOLOGY3

 

GCS

(N=538; 58 missing)

3-8

57 (10.6%)

9-14

87 (16.2%)

15

394 (73.2%)

RTS

(N=486; 110 missing)

<7.84

92 (18.9%)

7.84

394 (81.1%)

  1. ‘Unknown’ incidents included trauma related incidents such as head injuries where information regarding the incident is missing.
  2. Patients with multiple injured body regions (e.g. Pelvis/Spinal Trauma) were listed in all identified body regions and hence percentages add to greater than 100.
  3. Patients considered ‘dead pre arrival’ and non-trauma patients excluded.