Increased Age, Cardiovascular Comorbidities, COPD, and Diabetes mellitus Determine Excess Mortality in Trauma Patients with SSI or Chronic Wounds.

Age, pre-existing cardiac conditions, as well as COPD, diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease are associated with a significantly increased mortality risk in patients with SSI. Thus, an exponential increase in mortality risk was found between the ages of 50 and 60 years, with the mortality risk of a 60-year-old patient with SSI being equivalent to that of an 80-year-old in the general population.