Trauma deaths of hospitalized patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate: a retrospective descriptive study

AIM: To study the epidemiology and pattern of trauma-related deaths of hospitalized patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, in order to improve trauma management and injury prevention. METHODS: The Abu Dhabi Trauma Registry prospectively collects data of all hospitalized trauma patients from seven major trauma centres in Abu Dhabi Emirate. We studied all patients who died on arrival or after admission to these hospitals from January 2014 to December 2019. RESULTS: There were 453 deaths constituting 13.5% of all trauma deaths in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. The median (IQR) age of the patients was 33 (25–45) years, and 82% were males. 85% of the deaths occurred in the emergency department (ED) and the intensive care unit (ICU). Motor vehicle collision (63.8%) was the leading cause of death. 45.5% of the patients had head injury. Two of the seven hospitals admitted around 50% of all patients but accounted for only 25.8% of the total deaths (p < 0.001). Those who died in the ward (7%) were significantly older, median (IQR) age: of 65.5 (31.75–82.25) years, (p < 0.001), 34.4% of them were females (p = 0.09). The median (IQR) GCS of those who died in the ward was 15 (5.75–15) compared with 3 (3–3) for those who died in ED and ICU (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Death from trauma predominantly affects young males with motor traffic collision as the leading cause. Over 85% of in-hospital deaths occur in the ICU and ED, mainly from head injuries. Injury prevention of traffic collisions through enforcement of law and improved hospital care in the ED and ICU will reduce trauma death. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13017-023-00501-y.