An Additional Certification as a Centre for Geriatric Trauma Had No Benefit on Mortality Among Seriously Injured Elderly Patients-An Analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU with Data of the Registry for Geriatric Trauma (ATR-DGU).

: The number of seriously injured elderly patients is continuously rising. Several studies have underlined the benefit of orthogeriatric co-management in treating older patients with a proximal femur fracture. The basis of this orthogeriatric co-management is a certification as a Centre for Geriatric Trauma (ATZ). Data of seriously injured patients are collected in the TraumaRegister DGU (TR-DGU) from participating trauma centres. We hypothesise that if a certified trauma centre is also a certified Centre for Geriatric Trauma, a benefit can be measured. : Retrospective cohort analysis was conducted from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2021. The TraumaRegister DGU collected the data prospectively. This retrospective multicentre registry study included patients 70 years or older with an abbreviated injury scale of ≥3 and intensive care unit treatment from 700 certified Trauma Centres and 110 Centres for Geriatric Trauma in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The primary outcome was mortality in in-hospital stays. Other outcome parameters were days of intubation, the length of stay in ICU, and in-hospital stays. Furthermore, the discharge target and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) were analysed. : The inclusion criteria were met by 27,531 patients. The majority of seriously injured patients ( = 23,007) were transported to certified trauma centres without certification as ATZ. A total of 4524 patients were transported to a trauma centre with additional ATZ certifications. Mortality and the Revised Injury Severity Classification II (RISC-II) model for prediction of mortality after trauma were higher in ATZ hospitals. Logistic regression analysis showed no effect on mortality by a certification as a centre for geriatric trauma in treating seriously injured elderly patients. We assume that the additional ATZ certification does not positively influence the treatment of seriously injured elderly patients. A potential side effect could not be measured.