Collecting data A specific form was developed to suitably collect all the information required: Selleckchem RG7112 age, gender, place of accident, cause of accident, moments of accident and death, injury(ies), medical procedures carried out and blood alcohol (victims were considered intoxicated when the blood alcohol analyses were positive). Trauma indices Both the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) were calculated for all those included in this study. Statistical analyses Continuous variables were expressed by their means. Categorical data were expressed

as frequencies and percentages. Comparisons between groups were made using the Chi square test or the Fisher exact test for categorical variables as appropriate. Results Victims Between 200 and 2009 479 people died as consequence of a motorcycle crash in the city of Campinas in Brazil. Most, 90.8% were male and 86.4% were the driver of the motorcycle. The mean age was 27.8 (range: 0-73); blood alcohol was positive in 42.24% of the victims (mean rate: 0.627 g/L), 49.7% died in a hospital, 32.6% at the scene and 17.7% on route to a hospital or the time of death was unknown. Accidents GSK923295 chemical structure 69.1% of the events occurred within the

urban area and 30.9% on the highways. The most common accidents were collisions (63%) and falls (14%). The collisions involved cars in 37% of the occasions and trucks or buses in 32%. There were several different objects and vehicles that motorcycles collided with. Cars and large vehicles such as buses or trucks have emerged as the main protagonists (C646 clinical trial Figure 1). Street lamps, trees, walls, containers, Bay 11-7085 animals and pedestrians were less common, but showed that even fixed objects can represent a serious danger to motorcyclists, especially when drivers are under the influence of alcohol. The most common time for accidents to occur was at night (between 6pm and midnight), when 26.1% of the collisions occurred. Figure 1 Distribution of collisions. Injuries Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

was found as the most common injury (67%), followed by thoracic trauma and abdominal trauma (Figure 2). The results included injuries which occurred separately or together with other injuries. Hypovolemic shock was the cause of death in 38% of the cases, frequently associated with TBI. Figure 2 Major injuries found in fatal motorcycle victims. Trauma indices Mean ISS was 38.51 (range: 9-75) and 11.89% of the victims had ISS = 75, the maximum value of the index (Figure 3). 80.4% scored ISS > 24 (very severe injuries). Figure 3 The trauma index ISS and its results. AIS shows that head and neck traumas are the most potentially fatal and severe injuries, followed by thorax, abdomen and pelvic organ injuries (Figure 4). Figure 4 AIS and severity of injuries. ISS was higher for victims of highway crashes (median ISS: 41.0) than urban areas (Median ISS: 33.0) (p < 0.001).