Injuries In 8927 Patients Admitted After Motor-cycle Crashes In Sweden 1987-1994 Inclusive

OBJECTIVE: To discover morbidity and mortality rates after motor-cycle crashes on the national level in Sweden. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Sweden. INTERVENTIONS: Extraction of data from International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes E819C (motor-cycle drivers) and E819D (motor-cycle passengers) recorded in the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register (SHDR) between 1987 and 1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Injury distribution, medical consequences, mortality, survival, and incidence by age, sex and geographical area. RESULTS: The number of people admitted to hospital after motor-cycle crashes decreased significantly during the period (from 1743 in 1987 to 1258 in 1994, p < 0.001). The most frequent injuries among drivers and passengers alike were fractures of the legs, arms, and vertebrae, followed by injuries to the head and brain. The in-hospital mortality was lower among drivers (n = 172, 2.2%) than among passengers (n = 31,3.3%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of injuries after motor-cyclist crashes decreased during the study period. The most common victims were young men with fractures and brain injuries. Those at most risk of dying were older passengers.