Motorcycle helmets and spinal injuries: dispelling the myth. Ann Emerg Med 1994 Apr;23(4):802-6
Date
04/01/1994Pubmed ID
8161050DOI
10.1016/s0196-0644(94)70317-5Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028208572 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 31 CitationsAbstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between spinal injuries and helmet use in motorcycle trauma.
DESIGN: Retrospective case series.
SETTING: Twenty-eight hospitals in four midwestern states--Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin--representing urban, suburban, and rural settings.
PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sample of motorcyclists treated at the participating centers.
INTERVENTIONS: None.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The major variables evaluated were helmet use, ethanol use, and significant head or spinal injuries.
RESULTS: 1,153 cases were analyzed. Helmet use was not significantly associated with spinal injuries (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence intervals, 0.79, 1.58) whereas head injury was markedly decreased with helmet use (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence intervals, 0.23, 0.53). Ethanol use was a significant variable in both head (odds ratio, 3.89) and spinal (odds ratio, 2.41) injuries.
CONCLUSION: In contrast to a significant protective relationship identified for head injuries, helmet use was not associated with an increased or decreased occurrence rate of spinal injuries in motorcycle trauma.
Author List
Orsay EM, Muelleman RL, Peterson TD, Jurisic DH, Kosasih JB, Levy PAuthor
Judith B. Kosasih MD Professor in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAlcohol Drinking
Confidence Intervals
Craniocerebral Trauma
Head Protective Devices
Humans
Male
Midwestern United States
Motorcycles
Odds Ratio
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Injuries
