Examination of the impact of airbags on renal injury using a national database

BACKGROUND: Little is known about preventative measures to lessen solid organ injury in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). To evaluate the efficacy of airbags in reducing renal injuries in MVC, we analyzed renal injury rates in vehicles with and without airbags using the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) database. STUDY DESIGN: The CIREN database was queried for MVC and renal injury from 1996 to September 2008. CIREN is weighted toward late model vehicles and selects more severely injured patients. Search fields were primary direction of force (PDOF), presence of airbags, and location of airbags (steering wheel, instrument panel, seat back, door panel, and roof-side curtain). Abdominal Abbreviated Injury Score was converted to AAST renal injury grade. Renal injury rates were compared between vehicles with and without frontal and side airbags. RESULTS: We reviewed 2,864 records and identified 139 renal injuries (28.9% AAST grade III to V). In MVCs with renal injuries, frontal impact was 54.7% of total (n = 76) and side impact was 45.3% of total (n = 63). Most occupants in frontal impact MVCs had exposure to a steering wheel airbag (74.9%); 16.6% had an instrument panel (passenger) airbags. In side impact MVCs, 32.2% of occupants had a side airbag. Compared with the non-airbags cohort, frontal airbags and side airbags were associated with a 45.3% and 52.8% reduction in renal injury, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Passengers in automobiles with frontal and side airbags have a reduced rate of renal injury compared with those without airbags. Our data support further study of the role of airbags in reducing renal injury after MVC.