Rib fractures are one of the risk factors for pneumonia development. Still, it is often underestimated or neglected. We wanted to determine both the incidence of pneumonia after rib fracture and the risk factors. This study was conducted prospectively and as single-centered. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed to determine the incidence of pneumonia and risk factors in cases applied with isolated chest trauma and diagnosed with rib fractures between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2023. The mean age of 412 patients in the study was 43.06±17.85 years and 82.3% were male. Rib fractures were present in 18.4% of the patients. Pneumonia incidence was found to be high in patients with a history of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), smokers, multiple rib fractures and those who needed hospitalization. Again, it was observed that the development of pneumonia was not significantly related to the process in patients who developed pneumonia. There was no relationship between other parameters and the incidence of pneumonia. Rib fracture is an important risk factor for the incidence of pneumonia. The incidence of pneumonia increases in smokers, patients with DM and COPD, and those with multiple rib fractures. It is important to be alert for pneumonia in these patients.
Key words: Emergency department, pneumonia, rib fracture, risk factors, incidence
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