Patterns of horse and camel- related injuries: A descriptive analysis from a national trauma registry (2007-2021).
Abstract: The large animal-related injuries are emerging major trauma but remain underestimated public health problem worldwide. We aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, mechanisms and patterns of horse and camel-related injuries (HCRIs) in a Middle Eastern country. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who were hospitalized due to HCRIs was conducted. Data included patient's demographics, mechanism of injury, anatomical location and severity of injury, and hospital outcomes. Results: Between November 2007 and December 2021, there were 273 hospitalized patients with HCRIs representing1.3 % of the total trauma admissions. Of these, 145 (53.1 %) and 128 (46.9 %) were horse (HRI) and camel-related injuries (CRI) respectively. The most common presenting age group of the cohort was 20-29 years and 88 % were males. Patients with HRIs were younger (27.5 ± 11 years) than CRIs (34 ± 13.5 years). Injuries to the extremities were the most common (62 % vs. 40 %), followed by the head injury (25.5 % vs. 31 %) among the HRIs and CRIs, respectively. The most common mechanism of injury was falling off followed by getting kicked by the HCRIs. Major trauma (ISS ≥12) was found in 23 % of HRIs (47.5 %) and CRIs (52.5 %). Only 5 % of patients had shock index >0.90 on admission; two thirds were due to CRIs. There were four fatalities (1.5 %), all attributed to traumatic brain injury, of which three were due to HRIs and one due to CRIs. Conclusions: This study reveals that HCRIs predominantly affect young adult males and may involve serious injuries, exhibit distinct injury patterns, however, it is associated with low mortality. Preventive measures need to be revisited.
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2023-10-04 PubMed ID: 37806821DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2023.111093Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research analyses injury patterns related to horses and camels, revealing that they are an overlooked public health issue. It underscores that these injuries primarily impact young males, can be severe, and are marked by specific injury trends. However, the fatality rate is low.
Study Overview
- This study investigates injuries related to horses and camels (HCRIs), an emerging yet underestimated worldwide health problem.
- The researchers aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, mechanisms, and patterns of HCRIs in a Middle Eastern country.
- The study used a retrospective analysis of patients who had been hospitalized due to HCRIs.
Methodology
- The data collected encompassed patient demographics, the cause of injury, the anatomical location and severity of the injury, and the outcomes after hospitalization.
- The study period was between November 2007 and December 2021.
Findings
- The results showed that HCRIs accounted for 1.3% of all trauma admissions during the study period, with a total of 273 patients.
- The injuries were almost equally divided between horse-related injuries (HRIs) and camel-related injuries (CRIs), with respective figures of 53.1% and 46.9%.
- The majority of patients were male (88%) and within the 20-29 year age group.
- Patients with HRIs tended to be younger than those with CRIs.
- The most common type of injury for both HRIs and CRIs was to the extremities, followed by head injuries.
- The most frequent causes of injury were falling off the animal or being kicked by it.
Severity and Mortality
- The study found that major trauma, defined by an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of ≥12, was present in 23% of HRI patients and 52.5% of CRI patients.
- The shock index on admission was >0.90 for only 5% of patients, and two thirds of those were CRIs.
- There were four fatalities (1.5%), all the result of traumatic brain injury̶ three due to HRIs and one due to CRIs.
Conclusions
- The study concludes that HCRIs are most common in young adult males and can lead to serious injuries. However, with preventative measures, the predominantly low mortality rate could be further improved.
- The researchers suggest that the study’s findings should inform a revision of strategies to prevent injuries related to horses and camels.
Cite This Article
APA
El-Menyar A, Khan NA, Naqvi SGA, Al-Thani H.
(2023).
Patterns of horse and camel- related injuries: A descriptive analysis from a national trauma registry (2007-2021).
Injury, 54(12), 111093.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2023.111093 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Surgery, Clinical Research, Trauma & Vascular Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar; Department of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: aymanco65@yahoo.com.
- Department of Surgery, Clinical Research, Trauma & Vascular Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Radiology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Surgery, Trauma and Vascular Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
MeSH Terms
- Male
- Young Adult
- Humans
- Horses
- Animals
- Adult
- Female
- Camelus
- Retrospective Studies
- Injury Severity Score
- Craniocerebral Trauma / epidemiology
- Registries
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
