Street bikes versus dirt bikes: a comparison of injuries among motorcyclists presenting to a regional trauma center.

BACKGROUND

This study sought to compare the spectrum of injuries and outcomes between off-road and on-road motorcyclists.

METHODS

Demographic information, accident location, helmet use, anatomic injuries, physiologic data, length of stay, transfusions, operations, Injury Severity Scores, and determination of death were abstracted for a consecutive cohort of patients over a 5-year period.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between off-road motorcyclists (n = 376) and on-road motorcyclists (n = 371) in terms of helmet use, loss of consciousness, initial systolic blood pressure, initial Glasgow Coma Scale, initial Revised Trauma Score, or hand, wrist, forearm, arm, clavicle, foot, ankle, femur, pelvis, spinal, or head injuries. On-road motorcyclists were significantly more likely, however, to require transfusions (p < 0.025); sustain blunt chest, abdominal, or skin trauma; or die (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

On-road motorcyclists are more likely to sustain blunt abdominal trauma, blunt chest trauma, skin trauma, and death than off-road motorcyclists.