Evaluation of trauma severity on motorcycle drivers affected by traffic accidents in Rio Grande do Norte

Estudo exploratório descritivo, prospectivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado no Complexo Hospitalar Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel (HMWG), Natal/RN, com o objetivo de identificar as lesões por região corpórea e natureza das lesões em condutores vítimas de acidentes de motocicleta, avaliar a gravidade das lesões e do trauma desses condutores e identificar a existência de associação entre a gravidade da lesão, do trauma e algumas características do acidente. A população constou de 371 condutores de motocicleta, com dados coletados de outubro a dezembro de 2007. Utilizamos como instrumento a Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) e Escala de Coma de Glasgow (ECGl). Os resultados mostram que quanto à caracterização, houve predominância do sexo masculino (88,40%), entre 18 e 24 anos (39,90%), procedentes da grande Natal (55,79%), com ensino fundamental (51,48%), católicos (75,78%), casados (47,98%). 23,18% exercem atividades ligadas ao comércio e 75,20% possuem renda de ate 2 salários mínimos. Quanto às características do acidente, o turno predominante foi o vespertino (46,36%), admitidos em até 1 hora após o evento (50,67%), transportados por ambulâncias do interior, colegas e familiares (51,21%), 25,34% foram acidentados no domingo; 53,91% sofreram quedas e capotamentos; dentre as colisões destacou-se aquelas entre moto-carro (28,03%); 52,6% eram habilitados e destes, 50,76% tinham no máximo 1 ano de habilitação; 65,50% disseram não ter sofrido acidentes anteriores; estar usando capacete no momento do acidente, 65,77%, não utilizou droga (57,41%) e dos que usaram, o álcool foi a mais consumida (98,10%). A pontuação mais baixa avaliada pela ECGl (3 a 8), foram atribuídas aos condutores acidentados no sábado (10,13%), aqueles que não utilizavam capacete (14,29%) e as vítimas de colisão moto-pedestre/ animal (13,33%). As regiões corpóreas mais atingidas tiveram AIS entre 1 e 3 (95,76%) e foram assim distribuídas: superfície externa (39,90%) e cabeça/ pescoço (33,20%). Quanto a gravidade do trauma, os escores ,mais altos (ISS > 25) ocorreram entre os que consumiram álcool (30,73%), sofreram queda ou capotamento (48,98%) e aqueles que foram atendidos 3h ou mais após o acidente (50%). Concluímos que para os condutores de motocicleta vítimas de acidente, a idade, sexo, dia da semana, tipo de acidente, uso de drogas e o não uso de capacete, tempo transcorrido entre o evento e o atendimento hospitalar, sinalizam tanto para o risco de ocorrência desses eventos, quanto para maior gravidade das lesões e do trauma.Descriptive exploratory study, prospective, with quantitative approach, performed on the Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel Hospital Complex (MWGHC), in Natal/RN, aiming to identify injuries by body area and wound severity on drivers who suffered motorcycle accidents, evaluate the severity of injuries and trauma on these drivers and identify the existence of association between wound and trauma severity and some of the accident s characteristics. The population comprised 371 motorcycle drivers, with data collected between October and December 2007. We used as instruments the Abberviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCE1). The results show that, concerning characterization, there was a predominance of the male gender (88.4%), aged between 18 and 24 years (39.90%), originating from the Natal metropolitan region (55.79%), with fundamental-level instruction (51.48%), catholic (75.78%), married (47.98%). 23.18% work on commerce-related activities and 75.20% have income of up to 2 minimum wages. As for the accident s characteristics, the predominant shift was the afternoon (46.36%), received up to one hour after the event (50.67%), transported by countryside ambulances colleagues and relatives (51.21%), 25.34% had the accident on Sunday; 53.91% suffered falls and vehicle rolls; among the collisions there was a predominance of the motorcycle-automoblie type (28.03%); 52,6% were licensed and among these 50.76% had up to one year of license; 65.50% declared not having suffered previous accidents; 65.77% declared waring helmets in the time of the accident; 57.41% said not to have used drugs, and among those who used, alcohol was the most consumed (98.10%). The lowest score evaluated by GCS1 (3 to 8) was linked to drivers who suffered accidents on Saturday (10.3%), those who were not wearing helmets (14.29%) and the victims of motorcycle-pedestrian/animal crashes (13.33%). The body areas most affected had AIS between 1 and 3 (95.76%) and were: external surface (39.90%) and head/neck (33.20%). As for trauma severity, the highest scores (ISS>25) belonged to those who consumed alcohol (30.73%), suffered falls or vehicle rolls (48.9%) and those attended to 3 hours or longer after the accident (50%). We conclude that for motorcycle drivers who suffered accidents, age, gender, weekday, type of accident, use of drugs and the absence of helmet use signal both to the risk of occurrence of these events, as well as for the greater severity of injuries and trauma