OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of age and gender on multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) after multiple injuries and the possible mechanism.

METHODSThe clinical data of 78 patients with multiple injuries admitted in the ICU in our hospital from Jan. 2004 to Jan. 2007 were reviewed for age, gender, ISS, incidence of MODS, sepsis and mortality, days in ICU, and duration of ventilation. The plasma levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were examined by ELISA in the first two weeks after the injury, and the results were analyzed in relation to the demographic and clinical data.

RESULTSWith similar ISS scores, the male patients were more likely to develop into MODS than the female patients (P<0.05), and age produced a marginal effect on the incidence of MODS (P=0.06). Compared with patients without MODS, those with MODS had a significantly different pattern of plasma TNF-alpha and IL-6 alterations. In the initial week following the injury, the male patients showed significantly higher plasma IL-6 levels than the female patients with the same ISS scores (P=0.04), but the level alteration in the initial two weeks showed no significant difference between the male and female patients (P=0.14).

CONCLUSIONGender plays an important role in the occurrence of MODS following multiple injuries, but the effect of age on MODS seems only marginal and need to be further investigated.