Polytrauma mortality rates have been continuously decreasing in recent years. Due to rising prevalence of obesity, overweight patients are increasing in numbers within the polytrauma population. The body mass index (BMI) provides information about nutritional status. Varying results have been reported concerning the effect of body mass index on polytrauma outcome. Both obesity and the condition of being underweight are independent risk factors for increased polytrauma mortality. While being underweight is associated with early polytrauma mortality, the presence of obesity correlates with higher rates of multi-organ failure and sepsis and is associated with late polytrauma mortality.
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