Five-year Retrospective Review of Tetanus Patients at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical profiles, treatments, complications and mortality of tetanus patients at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital (MRH). Patients and Method: A retrospective descriptive study in tetanus patients at MRH between January 2006 and December 2010 was performed. The data were presented in descriptive pattern. Results: Fifty-one patients with 74.5% men were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 63.6 ± 12.9 year (range 36-90 years). About 60% of the patients had age more than 60 years. The history of wound was found in 58.8 percents. None of the patient received prophylactic tetanus vaccination after wound acquisition. Only one patient died in the study. The correlation between the baseline characteristics with the complication rate and the length of hospital stay were not documented. The patients with more severe stage of disease had more complication rate and length of hospital stay than that with less severe stage. The major factors for reducing the mortality were early tracheostomy, intensive care unit admission and good care about complication. Conclusion: The clinical profiles of tetanus patients at MRH were not different from that of the previous studies. The complication rate and the length of hospital stay were not dependent on the patient’s baseline characteristics but these were more common in the more severe patients than those of less severe patients. Early tracheostomy, intensive care unit admission and food care about complication were the factors that decreased mortality.