[Scientific impact of the TraumaRegister DGU®].

BACKGROUND: The trauma registry of the German Trauma Society (TraumaRegister DGU®) is not only a tool for quality management but also for research purposes.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the impact of the TraumaRegister DGU® on scientific output and patient treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of publications from the TraumaRegister DGU® with respect to numbers, impact factors, journals, citations and presentations.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The number and impact factors of publications from the TraumaRegister DGU® rose steeply during the last 10 years and in the last 3 years consisted of 25 publications per year. More than two thirds of them were published in high quality international journals and reflect the great scientific importance. For the German speaking readership and the specific aspects of treatment of the severely injured relevant to Germany, the large number of German language articles are just as important. Independent of the impact factor publications in Deutsches Ärzteblatt, the journal with the highest circulation and Der Unfallchirurg play the most important role. A large amount of scientific information gained from the TraumaRegister DGU® has been included in treatment guidelines and structures. The register is a basic prerequisite for the TraumaNetzwerk DGU®. Since almost all severely injured patients in Germany are now included in the registry, it is possible to obtain epidemiologically reliable data of treatment and outcomes for these patient groups.