Injury severity score, resource use, and outcome for trauma patients within a Japanese administrative database

Estimating the health burden of road traffic injuries in Malawi using an individual-based model

BACKGROUND

Road traffic injuries are a significant cause of death and disability globally. However, in some countries the exact health burden caused by road traffic injuries is unknown. In Malawi, there is no central reporting mechanism for road traffic injuries and so the exact extent of the health burden caused by road traffic injuries is hard to determine. A limited number of models predict the incidence of mortality due to road traffic injury in Malawi. These estimates vary greatly, owing to differences in assumptions, and so the health burden caused on the population by road traffic injuries remains unclear.

METHODS

We use an individual-based model and combine an epidemiological model of road traffic injuries with a health seeking behaviour and health system model. We provide a detailed representation of road traffic injuries in Malawi, from the onset of the injury through to the final health outcome. We also investigate the effects of an assumption made by other models that multiple injuries do not contribute to health burden caused by road accidents.

RESULTS

Our model estimates an overall average incidence of mortality between 23.5 and 29.8 per 100,000 person years due to road traffic injuries and an average of 180,000 to 225,000 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per year between 2010 and 2020 in an estimated average population size of 1,364,000 over the 10-year period. Our estimated incidence of mortality falls within the range of other estimates currently available for Malawi, whereas our estimated number of DALYs is greater than the only other estimate available for Malawi, the GBD estimate predicting and average of 126,200 DALYs per year over the same time period. Our estimates, which account for multiple injuries, predict a 22-58% increase in overall health burden compared to the model ran as a single injury model.

CONCLUSIONS

Road traffic injuries are difficult to model with conventional modelling methods, owing to the numerous types of injuries that occur. Using an individual-based model framework, we can provide a detailed representation of road traffic injuries. Our results indicate a higher health burden caused by road traffic injuries than previously estimated.

Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices (AICIs) to predict burden and readmission among hospital-admitted injury patients

BACKGROUND

Existing comorbidity measures predict mortality among general patient populations. Due to the lack of outcome specific and patient-group specific measures, the existing indices are also applied to non-mortality outcomes in injury epidemiology. This study derived indices to capture the association between comorbidity, and burden and readmission outcomes for injury populations.

METHODS

Injury-related hospital admissions data from July 2012 to June 2014 (161,334 patients) for the state of Victoria, Australia were analyzed. Various multivariable regression models were run and results used to derive both binary and weighted indices that quantify the association between comorbidities and length of stay (LOS), hospital costs and readmissions. The new and existing indices were validated internally among patient subgroups, and externally using data from the states of New South Wales and Western Australia.

RESULTS

Twenty-four comorbidities were significantly associated with overnight stay, twenty-seven with LOS, twenty-eight with costs, ten with all-cause and eleven with non-planned 30-day readmissions. The number of and types of comorbidities, and their relative impact were different to the associations established with the existing Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Elixhauser Comorbidity Measure (ECM). The new indices performed equally well to the long-listed ECM and in certain instances outperformed the CCI.

CONCLUSIONS

The more parsimonious, up to date, outcome and patient-specific indices presented in this study are better suited for use in present injury epidemiology. Their use can be trialed by hospital administrations in resource allocation models and patient classification models in clinical settings.

Validation of age-specific survival prediction in pediatric patients with blunt trauma using trauma and injury severity score methodology: a ten-year Nationwide observational study

BACKGROUND

In-hospital mortality in trauma patients has decreased recently owing to improved trauma injury prevention systems. However, no study has evaluated the validity of the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) in pediatric patients by a detailed classification of patients' age and injury severity in Japan. This retrospective nationwide study evaluated the validity of TRISS in predicting survival in Japanese pediatric patients with blunt trauma by age and injury severity.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Japan Trauma Data Bank during 2009-2018. The outcomes were as follows: (1) patients' characteristics and mortality by age groups (neonates/infants aged 0 years, preschool children aged 1-5 years, schoolchildren aged 6-11 years, and adolescents aged 12-18 years), (2) validity of survival probability (Ps) assessed using the TRISS methodology by the four age groups and six Ps-interval groups (0.00-0.25, 0.26-0.50, 0.51-0.75, 0.76-0.90, 0.91-0.95, and 0.96-1.00), and (3) the observed/expected survivor ratio by age- and Ps-interval groups. The validity of TRISS was evaluated by the predictive ability of the TRISS method using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves that present the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of TRISS.

RESULTS

In all the age categories considered, the AUC for TRISS demonstrated high performance (0.935, 0.981, 0.979, and 0.977). The AUC for TRISS was 0.865, 0.585, 0.614, 0.585, 0.591, and 0.600 in Ps-interval groups (0.96-1.00), (0.91-0.95), (0.76. - 0.90), (0.51-0.75), (0.26-0.50), and (0.00-0.25), respectively. In all the age categories considered, the observed survivors among patients with Ps interval (0.00-0.25) were 1.5 times or more than the expected survivors calculated using the TRISS method.

CONCLUSIONS

The TRISS methodology appears to predict survival accurately in Japanese pediatric patients with blunt trauma; however, there were several problems in adopting the TRISS methodology for younger blunt trauma patients with higher injury severity. In the next step, it may be necessary to develop a simple, high-quality prediction model that is more suitable for pediatric trauma patients than the current TRISS model.

The Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices (AICIs) to predict in-hospital complications: A population-based data linkage study

Background

Hospital-admitted patients are at risk of experiencing certain adverse outcomes during their hospital-stay. Patients may need to be admitted to the intensive care unit or be placed on the ventilator while there is also a possibility for complications to develop. Pre-existing comorbidity could increase the risk of these outcomes. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the Elixhauser Comorbidity Measure (ECM), originally derived for mortality outcomes among general medical populations, are widely used for assessing these in-hospital complications even among specific injury populations. This study derived indices to specifically capture the effect of comorbidity on intensive care unit and ventilator use as well as hospital-acquired complications for injury patients.

Methods

Retrospective data on injury hospital-admissions from July 2012 to June 2014 (161,334 patients) for the state of Victoria, Australia was analysed. Results from multivariable regression analysis were used to derive the Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices (AICIs) for intensive care unit and ventilator hours and hospital-acquired complications. The AICIs, CCI and ECM were validated on data from Victoria and two other Australian states.

Results

Five comorbidities were significantly associated with intensive care unit hours, two with ventilator hours and fifteen with hospital-acquired complications for hospitalised injury patients. Not all diseases listed in the CCI or ECM were found to be associated with these outcomes. The AICIs performed equally well in terms of predictive ability to the long-listed ECM and in most instances outperformed the CCI.

Conclusions

Associations between outcomes and comorbidities vary based on the type of outcome measure. The new comorbidity indices developed in this study provide a relevant, parsimonious and up-to-date method to capture the effect of comorbidity on in-hospital complications among admitted injury patients and is better suited for use in that context compared to the CCI and ECM.

Factors influencing the use of health services by trauma patients according to insurance type and injury severity score in South Korea: Based on Andersen's behavioral model

This study aims to understand the difference in trauma patients' use of health services in Korea according to insurance type and the Injury Severity Score. Andersen's behavioral model of health service use is employed to identify the factors influencing their use. Claims data from January 1 to December 31, 2016 were extracted from both the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service and the automobile insurance screening center for all the medical treatments identified with the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale and Injury Severity Score. Using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's remote statistical analysis system, hierarchical regression and negative binomial analyses were conducted to determine the effect of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on health service use. The results demonstrate that the use of Korean health services is relatively equitable since medical expenses for trauma patients are greatly influenced by need factors. However, the length of time trauma patients stay in the hospital appears to differ according to insurance type. This study suggests that healthcare policies need to increase coverage benefits and improve medical billing for patients with severe trauma, as well as develop a more robust screening system for patients with mild to moderate impairments.

The Australian Injury Comorbidity Index to Predict Mortality

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Existing comorbidity indices such as the Charlson comorbidity index are dated yet still widely used. This study derives and validates up-to-date comorbidity indices for hospital-admitted injury patients, specific to mortality outcomes.

METHODS

Injury-related hospital admissions data for 2 cohorts of patients in the Australian state of Victoria were linked to mortality data: July 2012 to June 2014 (161,334 patients) and July 2006 to June 2015 (614,762 patients). Logistic regression models were fitted, and results were used to derive binary and weighted comorbidity indices to predict mortality outcomes. The indices were validated with data from New South Wales (Australia).

RESULTS

There were 11 comorbidity groups identified as associated with inhospital death (cohort 1), 13 with 30-day mortality, and 19 with 1-year mortality (cohort 2). The newly derived weights for comorbidities were very different from the Charlson comorbidity index weights for some conditions. The area under the curve statistics for inhospital death, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality were similar for the newly derived binary comorbidity indices (0.920, 0.923, and 0.910, respectively), the Charlson comorbidity index (0.915, 0.919, and 0.906, respectively), and the Elixhauser comorbidity measure (0.924, 0.923, and 0.908, respectively). The false-negative rates for the new binary indices (15.8%, 15.8%, and 16.3%, respectively) were statistically equal to those of the Charlson comorbidity index (17.4%, 16.3%, and 16.5%, respectively) and the Elixhauser comorbidity measure (15.2%, 14.8%, and 16.3%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The newly derived Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices, which are a binary representation of individual conditions associated with the outcome of interest, are useful in quantifying the effect of comorbidity among injury patients. They include a shorter list of conditions than existing indices such as the Charlson comorbidity index and Elixhauser comorbidity measure, are up to date, and consider the individual association of each condition over a summed score such as the Charlson comorbidity index. Indices that quantify the effect of comorbidities should consider the population, disease prevalence, and outcome of interest and require periodic updating.

Complications, burden and in-hospital death among hospital treated injury patients in Victoria, Australia: a data linkage study

Background

A wide range of outcome measures can be calculated for hospital-treated injury patients. These include mortality, use of critical care services, complications, length of stay, treatment costs, readmission and nursing care after discharge. Each address different aspects and phases of injury recovery and can yield vastly different results. This study aims to: (1) measure and report this range of outcomes in hospital-treated injury patients in a defined population; and (2) describe the associations between injury characteristics, socio-demographics and comorbidities and the various outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted of injury-related hospital admissions from July 2012 to June 2014 (152,835 patients) in Victoria, Australia. The admission records were linked within the dataset, enabling follow-up, to assess the outcomes of in-hospital death, burden, complications and 30-day readmissions. Associations between factors and outcomes were determined using univariate regression analysis.

Results

The proportion of patients who died in hospital was 0.9%, while 26.8% needed post-discharge care. On average patients had 2.4 complications (confidence interval (CI) 2.4–2.5) related to their initial injury, the mean cost of treating a patient was Australian dollars 7013 (CI 6929–7096) and the median length of stay was one day (inter quartile range 1–3). Intensive-care-unit-stay was recorded in 3% of the patients. All-cause 30-day readmissions occurred in 12.3%, non-planned 30-day readmissions in 7.9%, while potentially avoidable 30-day readmissions were observed in 3.2% of the patients. Increasing age was associated with all outcomes. The need for care post-discharge from hospital was highest among children and the oldest age group (85 years and over). Injury severity was associated with all adverse outcomes. Increasing number of comorbidities increased the likelihood of all outcomes. Overall, outcomes are shown to differ by age, gender, comorbidities, body region injured, injury type and injury severity, and to a lesser extent by socio-economic areas.

Conclusions

Outcomes and risk factors differ depending on the outcome measured, and the method used for measuring the outcome. Similar outcomes measured in different ways produces varying results. Data linkage has provided a valuable platform for a comprehensive overview of outcomes, which can help design and target secondary and tertiary preventive measures.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7080-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effect of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Japan

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common antimicrobial-resistant organism identified in Japanese health care facilities. This study analyzed the clinical and economic burdens attributable to methicillin resistance in S aureus in Japanese hospitals.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated data from 14,905 inpatients of 57 hospitals combined with data from nosocomial infection surveillance and administrative claim databases. The participants were inpatients with admission from April 1, 2014, to discharge on March 31, 2016. The outcomes were evaluated according to length of stay, hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality. We compared the disease burden of MRSA infections with methicillin-susceptible S aureus (MSSA) infections based on patients' characteristics and onset periods.

RESULTS

We categorized 7,188 and 7,717 patients into MRSA and MSSA groups, respectively. The adjusted effects of the MRSA group were 1.03-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05) and 1.04-fold (95% CI, 1.01-1.06), respectively, with an odds ratio of 1.14 (95% CI, 1.02-1.27).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study found that patient severity and onset delays were positively associated with both MRSA and burden and that the effect of methicillin resistance remained significant after adjustment.

Risk of hysterectomy and salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair after pelvic gynecologic trauma

PURPOSE

Pelvic gynecologic trauma (PGT) includes injury to the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. We hypothesized Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 25, hypotension on admission and age ≥ 51 (average age for menopause) would be independent risk factors for resection compared to repair.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank was performed between 2007 and 2015.

RESULTS

Of 2,040,235 female patients, 1938 (< 0.1%) presented with PGT with the majority sustaining injury to the ovary or fallopian tubes (52.9%). Most patients were managed nonoperatively (77.1 vs 22.9%). On multivariable analysis, in patients with injury to the uterus, ISS ≥ 25 (OR 3.52, CI 1.67-7.48, p < 0.05) was associated with higher risk for hysterectomy compared to repair. In patients with injury to the ovaries or fallopian tubes, gunshot wound (OR 3.73, CI 1.43-9.68, p < 0.05) was associated with a higher risk for salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair. Age ≥ 51 and hypotension on admission were not independent risk factors for resection in patients with PGT. Operative treatment was associated with a lower risk for mortality in patients with an injury to the uterus (OR 0.27, CI 0.14-0.51, p < 0.001) or ovaries/fallopian tubes (OR 0.37, CI 0.19-0.72, p < 0.001) compared to those managed nonoperatively.

CONCLUSION

In the largest study reported, PGT occurred in < 0.1% of traumas involving women. Patients with ISS ≥ 25 have higher risk for hysterectomy compared to repair. Gunshot injuries have higher risk for salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair. Hypotension on arrival or age ≥ 51 are not independent risk factors for resection in PGT. Operative management is associated with lower risk of mortality in PGT patients.

Comparison of trauma care systems in Asian countries: A systematic literature review

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to compare the trauma care systems in Asian countries.

METHODS

Asian countries were categorised into three groups; 'lower middle-income country', 'upper middle-income country' and 'high-income country'. The Medline/PubMed database was searched for articles published from January 2005 to December 2014 using relevant key words. Articles were excluded if they examined a specific injury mechanism, referred to a specific age group, and/or did not have full text available. We extracted information and variables on pre-hospital and hospital care factors, and regionalised system factors and compared them across countries.

RESULTS

A total of 46 articles were identified from 13 countries, including Pakistan, India, Vietnam and Indonesia from lower middle-income countries; the Islamic Republic of Iran, Thailand, China, Malaysia from upper middle-income countries; and Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore from high-income countries. Trauma patients were transported via various methods. In six of the 13 countries, less than 20% of trauma patients were transported by ambulance. Pre-hospital trauma teams primarily comprised emergency medical technicians and paramedics, except in Thailand and China, where they included mainly physicians. In Iran, Pakistan and Vietnam, the proportion of patients who died before reaching hospital exceeded 50%. In only three of the 13 countries was it reported that trauma surgeons were available. In only five of the 13 countries was there a nationwide trauma registry.

CONCLUSION

Trauma care systems were poorly developed and unorganised in most of the selected 13 Asian countries, with the exception of a few highly developed countries.

Comparison of Two Predictive Models for Short-Term Mortality in Patients after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Abbreviated Injury Score of the head region (HAIS) are validated prognostic factors in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic performance of an alternative predictive model including motor GCS, pupillary reactivity, age, HAIS, and presence of multi-trauma for short-term mortality with a reference predictive model including motor GCS, pupil reaction, and age (IMPACT core model). A secondary analysis of a prospective epidemiological cohort study in Switzerland including patients after severe TBI (HAIS >3) with the outcome death at 14 days was performed. Performance of prediction, accuracy of discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC]), calibration, and validity of the two predictive models were investigated. The cohort included 808 patients (median age, 56; interquartile range, 33-71), median GCS at hospital admission 3 (3-14), abnormal pupil reaction 29%, with a death rate of 29.7% at 14 days. The alternative predictive model had a higher accuracy of discrimination to predict death at 14 days than the reference predictive model (AUROC 0.852, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.824-0.880 vs. AUROC 0.826, 95% CI 0.795-0.857; p < 0.0001). The alternative predictive model had an equivalent calibration, compared with the reference predictive model Hosmer-Lemeshow p values (Chi2 8.52, Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.345 vs. Chi2 8.66, Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.372). The optimism-corrected value of AUROC for the alternative predictive model was 0.845. After severe TBI, a higher performance of prediction for short-term mortality was observed with the alternative predictive model, compared with the reference predictive model.

Extracorporeal life support is safe in trauma patients

INTRODUCTION

The role of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in the critically ill trauma patient is poorly defined, possibly leading to the underutilization of this lifesaving therapy in this population. This study examined survival rates and risk factors for death in trauma patients who received ECLS.

METHODS

Data from the National Trauma Data Bank was retrospectively reviewed to identify trauma patients who received ECLS from January 2012 to December 2014. Clinical outcomes and risk factors for death were examined in these patients.

RESULTS

Eighty patients were identified and included in the final analysis. Overall survival to hospital discharge was 64%. Survivors and non-survivors were similar in regard to age, gender, weight, and injury mechanism. Non-survivors had greater median injury severity scores (ISS) (29 non-survivors vs. 24 survivors, p=0.018) and had a shorter median total hospital length of stay (8days non-survivors vs. 32days survivors, p<0.001). Analysis of specific anatomic locations of traumatic injury, including serious head/neck, thoracic, and abdominal injuries, revealed no impact on patient survival. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified increasing age and ISS as significant risk factors for mortality; whereas treatment at facilities that performed multiple ECLS runs over the study period was associated with improved survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Extracorporeal life support appears to be an effective treatment option in trauma patients with severe cardiopulmonary failure. Survival in trauma patients receiving ECLS is similar to that observed in the general ECLS population and this may represent an underutilized therapy in this population.

Pattern of emergency room mortality among road traffic crash victims

Road traffic injuries are a major cause of death in the emergency room. The goal of this study was to highlight the demographic pattern of road traffic-related deaths in the accident and emergency room of a regional trauma centre. This was a 5-year retrospective study in which road traffic-related cases of emergency room mortality between June 2009 and June 2014 were reviewed. A total of 33 road traffic crash-related deaths occurred during this period with a male-to-female ratio of 2.3:1. Most of these patients were pedestrians with severe injuries involving two or more Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) coded regions. The mean time between injury and presentation in the first trauma facility was 112.1 (±55.4)min, and between presentation in the emergency room and death was 410 (±645)min. Mangled lower extremity, bilateral long bone lower limb fractures, pelvic injuries, blunt injuries to the chest and abdomen, and cranial fossae fractures were the common injury pattern. Median ISS and NISS in these patients were 22 (interquartile range [IQR]=11) and 25 (IQR=17), respectively. Severe injuries, delayed presentation, multiple referrals and delayed resuscitative measures contribute to road traffic crash-related mortality.

Necrotising soft-tissue infections of the upper limb: risk factors for amputation and death

Necrotising soft-tissue infections (NSTIs) of the upper limb are uncommon, but potentially life-threatening. We used a national database to investigate the risk factors for amputation of the limb and death. We extracted data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database on 116 patients (79 men and 37 women) who had a NSTI of the upper extremity between 2007 and 2010. The overall in-hospital mortality was 15.5%. Univariate analysis of in-hospital mortality showed that the significant variables were age (p = 0.015), liver dysfunction (p = 0.005), renal dysfunction (P < 0.001), altered consciousness (p = 0.049), and sepsis (p = 0.021). Logistic regression analysis showed that the factors associated with death in hospital were age over 70 years (Odds Ratio (OR) 6.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 28.2; p = 0.011) and renal dysfunction (OR 15.4; 95% CI 3.8 to 62.8; p < 0.001). Univariate analysis of limb amputation showed that the significant variables were diabetes (p = 0.017) mellitus and sepsis (p = 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the factors related to limb amputation were sepsis (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.5 to 24.0; p = 0.013) and diabetes mellitus (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 21.1; p = 0.038). For NSTIs of the upper extremity, advanced age and renal dysfunction are both associated with a higher rate of in-hospital mortality. Sepsis and diabetes mellitus are both associated with a higher rate of amputation.

Measuring trauma severity using the 1998 and 2005 revisions of the Abbreviated Injury Scale

Objetivo: Comparar a gravidade das lesões e do trauma mensurada pelas versões da Abbreviated Injury Scale 1998 e 2005 e verificar a mortalidade nos escores Injury Severity Score e New Injury Severity Score nas duas versões.Método: Estudo transversal e retrospectivo analisou lesões de pacientes de trauma, de três hospitais universitários do município de São Paulo, Brasil. Cada lesão foi codificada com Abbreviated Injury Scale 1998 e 2005. Os testes estatísticos aplicados foram Wilcoxon, McNemar-Bowker, Kappa e teste Z.Resultados: A comparação das duas versões resultou em discordância significante de escores em algumas regiões corpóreas. Com a versão 2005 os níveis de gravidade da lesão e do trauma foram significantemente reduzidos e a mortalidade foi mais elevada em escores mais baixos. Conclusão: Houve redução da gravidade da lesão e do trauma e alteração no percentual de mortalidade com o uso da Abbreviated Injury Scale 2005.





Trauma survival prediction in Asian population: a modification of TRISS to improve accuracy

The probability of survival (PS) in blunt trauma as calculated by Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) has been an indispensable tool in trauma audit. The aim of this study is to explore the predictive performance of the latest updated TRISS model by investigating the Age variable recategorisations and application of local Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Revised Trauma Score (RTS) coefficients in a logistic model using a level I trauma centre database involving Asian population.

METHODS

Prospectively and consecutively collected 5684 trauma patients' data over a 10-year period at a regional level I trauma centre were reviewed. Four modified TRISS (mTRISS) models using Age coefficient from reclassifications of the Age variable according to their correlation with survival by logistic regression on the local dataset were acquired. RTS and ISS coefficients were derived from the local dataset and then applied to the mTRISS models. mTRISS models were compared with the existing Major Trauma Outcome Study (MTOS)-derived TRISS (eTRISS) model. Model 1=Age effect taken as linear; Model 2=Age classified into two groups (0-54, 55+); Model 3=Age classified into four groups (0-15, 16-54, 55-79, 80+) and Model 4=Age classified into two groups (0-69, 70+). Performance measures including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the various models. The cross-validation procedure consisted of comparing the P(S) obtained from mTRISS Models 1 and 2 with the P(S) obtained from the MTOS derived from eTRISS.

RESULTS

A 5147 blunt trauma patients' dataset was reviewed. Model 1, where Age was taken as a scale variable, demonstrated a substantial improvement in the survival prediction with 91.6% accuracy in blunt injuries as compared with 89.2% in the MTOS-derived TRISS. The 95% CI for ROC derived from mTRISS Model 1 was (0.923, 0.940), when compared with the hypothesised ROC value 0.886 obtained from eTRISS, it clearly indicated a significant improvement in predicting survival at 5% level. Furthermore, ROCs have shown clearly the superiority of Model 1 over Model 2, and of Model 2 over MTOS-derived TRISS. The recategorisation of the Age variable (Models 3 and 4) also demonstrated improved performance, but their strength was not as intense as in Model 1. Overall, the results point to the adoption of Model 1 as the best model for PS. Cross-validation analysis has further assured the validity of these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study has demonstrated that (1) having the Age variable being dichotomised (cut-off at 55 years) as in the eTRISS, but with the application of a local dataset-derived coefficients give better TRISS survival prediction in Asian blunt trauma patients; (2) improved performance are found with certain recategorisation of the Age variable and (3) the accuracy can further be enhanced if the Age effect is taken to be linear, with the application of local dataset-derived coefficients.

In-hospital outcomes and cost assessment between bipolar versus monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate

PURPOSE

We compared the in-hospital outcomes between bipolar and monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (B-TURP and M-TURP, respectively) on a real-world practice using a large database.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent TURP were extracted from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, which is a case-mix administrative claims database in Japan. TURP procedures were classified into M-TURP and B-TURP groups according to intraoperative use or nonuse of D-sorbitol solution, respectively, which is the only nonelectrolyte bladder irrigation fluid for M-TURP available in Japan. To exclude causality among autologous and homologous transfusion events, we confined eligible hospitals to those in which no autologous blood preparation was undertaken for TURP and whose annual surgical caseloads were 15 cases or more. Multivariate analyses were conducted for homologous transfusion, postoperative complications, operative time, postoperative length of stay, and total costs.

RESULTS

There were 5155 M-TURP and 1531 B-TURP patients identified. The results for M-TURP vs B-TURP (effect sizes were evaluated with reference to M-TURP) were 2.3% vs 1.3% for transfusion (odds ratio [OR]=0.54; P=0.013), 3.3% vs 1.7% for postoperative complications (OR=0.46; P<0.01), 98 vs 116 minutes for operative time (20.5% increase; P<0.001), 8.65 vs 8.45 days for postoperative stay (3.6% reduction; P=0.003), and $6103 vs $6062 for cost (1.7% reduction; P=0.018).

CONCLUSION

B-TURP had significantly lower rates of transfusion and postoperative complications, but a longer operative time. The impacts of B-TURP on shortening the hospital stay and lowering the costs were of little clinical significance.

Management trends, angioembolization performance and multiorgan injury indicators of renal trauma from Japanese administrative claims database

OBJECTIVES

To show the characteristics and therapeutic trends of renal trauma in Japan using a nationwide database.

METHODS

All renal trauma cases from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database during 6 months of each year from 2006 to 2008 were included in the analysis. The following variables were considered: demographics, ambulance use, comorbid trauma, interventions, mechanism of injury and the Abbreviated Injury Scale. Patients were divided into two groups by trauma range: limited to rib, abdomen and pelvis (group A) or more extended (including supradiaphragmatic regions or lower extremities; group B). Rib fracture impact was assessed as a predictor of comorbid organ trauma. The incidences of angioembolization failure and nephrectomy were also evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 1505 renal trauma cases (1014 and 491 in groups A and B, respectively) were identified. Comorbid trauma in the liver, spleen and lumbar/pelvic fractures were 7.4%, 5.6% and 5.1% in group A and 24.0%, 11.2% and 17.5% in group B, respectively. The rates of angioembolization (and its failure proportion), nephrectomy, transfusion and mortality were 7.9% (12.5%), 3.3%, 15.6% and 1.1% in group A, and 17.1% (11.9%), 2.6%, 28.3% and 8.1% in group B, respectively. Risks of coincident traumas in the liver, spleen and pelvic fracture were 2.23, 2.35 and 2.72 times higher if a rib fracture was observed. The incidences of renal trauma and nephrectomy (per 100 000 person-years) were estimated as 2.06 and 0.063, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Angioembolization failure is not rare, and nephrectomy is an important last resort. Patients with comorbid rib fracture should be explored for coincident traumas.

Mortality and morbidity in dialysis-dependent patients undergoing spinal surgery: analysis of a national administrative database in Japan

BACKGROUND

The impact of dialysis dependence on perioperative risks following spinal surgery is not fully understood. The purposes of the present study were to determine the perioperative risks in dialysis-dependent patients treated with spinal surgery and to examine whether the presence of destructive spondyloarthropathy further increases perioperative risks.

METHODS

We examined abstracted data from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in a retrospective analysis of a nationally representative inpatient database. The survey of the database is conducted annually for a six-month period between July 1 and December 31. The data from 2007 and 2008 were used for this study. We included all patients who had undergone any combination of laminectomy, laminoplasty, discectomy, and/or spinal arthrodesis. For analysis, dialysis-dependent patients were further classified into subgroups with or without destructive spondyloarthropathy.

RESULTS

We identified 51,648 eligible patients (30,743 men and 20,905 women; mean age, sixty-two years), including 869 (1.7%) who were dialysis-dependent. Of the latter, ninety-five had destructive spondyloarthropathy. Overall in-hospital mortality was 0.41%. Dialysis-dependent patients had a significantly higher in-hospital mortality rate than non-dialysis-dependent patients. After adjustment, dialysis-dependent patients remained at a tenfold higher risk for in-hospital death. Dialysis-dependent patients were also at significantly greater risk for postoperative major complications. The rate of complications in dialysis-dependent patients with destructive spondyloarthropathy was 65% higher than that in those without destructive spondyloarthropathy, but this difference did not reach significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Dialysis-dependent patients had a tenfold higher risk of in-hospital death than did non-dialysis-dependent patients. Dialysis-dependent patients were also more likely to have major complications such as cardiac events, sepsis, and respiratory complications. Our data also indicate that the presence of destructive spondyloarthropathy is associated with a higher rate of postoperative complications in dialysis-dependent patients.

Effect of the Japanese herbal kampo medicine dai-kenchu-to on postoperative adhesive small bowel obstruction requiring long-tube decompression: a propensity score analysis

Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is an adverse consequence of abdominal surgery. Although the Kampo medicine Dai-kenchu-to is widely used in Japan for treatment of postoperative ASBO, rigorous clinical studies for its use have not been performed. In the present retrospective observational study using the Japanese diagnosis procedure combination inpatient database, we selected 288 propensity-score-matched patients with early postoperative ASBO following colorectal cancer surgery, who received long-tube decompression (LTD) with or without Dai-kenchu-to administration. The success rates of LTD were not significantly different between Dai-kenchu-to users and nonusers (84.7% versus 78.5%; P = .224), while Dai-kenchu-to users showed a shorter duration of LTD (8 versus 10 days; P = .012), shorter duration between long-tube insertion and discharge (23 versus 25 days; P = .018), and lower hospital charges ($23,086 versus $26,950; P = .018) compared with Dai-kenchu-to nonusers. In conclusion, the present study suggests that Dai-kenchu-to is effective for reducing the duration of LTD and saving costs.

Short report: Venomous snake bites in Japan

Few reliable data are available on the incidence of snake bites in developing and developed nations. Insufficient epidemiologic data have hindered the recognition of snake bite as an important public health issue. We verified statistics of snake bites (mamushi and habu bites) in Japan by using a currently available, nationally representative, hospital-based database. We identified 1,670 inpatients with snake bites from 404 hospitals during July 1-December 31 in 2007 and 2008. More than 60% were males, the average age was 60.1 years, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 0.2%. The incidence of mamushi bite, distributed between latitudes 30°N and 46°N, was estimated to be 1.67 bites/100,000/6 months. It is important to continue collecting all available data to monitor the trends of this life-threatening disease.

Delay in tetracycline treatment increases the risk of complications in Tsutsugamushi disease: data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database

OBJECTIVE

Tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus) is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, and has been endemic in Asia and Western Pacific islands. Though sporadic case reports have described the clinical consequences of this vector-borne disease, data on the actual incidence of complications or mortality are scarce. It also remains unclear how a delay in effective treatments affects the occurrence of complications associated with this Rickettsial disease.

METHODS

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database in Japan, we identified patients with Tsutsugamushi disease between July 1 and December 31 in 2007 and 2008. We examined location of hospitals, patient's age, sex, comorbidities, complications, inhospital deaths, date of admission, date of starting therapy with tetracyclines. A logistic regression was conducted to analyze the association between delay in effective treatments and the occurrence of complications.

RESULTS

A total of 210 cases were identified. Overall, 29 (13.8%) had at least one complication and two deaths were identified. Age was a significant risk factor for complications [odds ratio (OR), 1.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-2.03; p=0.014, for a 10-year age increase]. Patients with ≥2 days delay in treatment with tetracyclines had a significantly higher risk of complications compared to those with no delay (OR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.03-7.12; p=0.044).

CONCLUSION

Tsutsugamushi disease remains a threat to public health. Our study clearly indicates the importance of early diagnosis and immediate tetracycline treatment to prevent severe complications in Tsutsugamushi disease.

Acute hepatitis B in Japan: Incidence, clinical practices and health policy

AIM

  The epidemiology of acute hepatitis B is unknown in many countries, and the clinical features of this disease remain unclear. In this study, we used the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database to estimate the incidence of acute hepatitis B and investigate the clinical practices for acute hepatitis B in Japan.

METHODS

  The DPC database is a nationwide discharge abstract and administrative claims database, covering 40% of all inpatient admissions to acute care hospitals between 1 July and 31 December each year in Japan. We identified cases with a diagnosis of acute hepatitis B between 2007 and 2008. Patient characteristics, length of stay, in-hospital mortality and total charges were determined. Clinical practice patterns were examined, including drugs used and procedures performed during hospitalization.

RESULTS

  We identified 890 cases with acute hepatitis B among 5.85 million inpatients in the database. The mean age was 40.0 years old and 76% were male. The incidence of acute hepatitis B was estimated to be approximately 2100-2400/year (17-19/1 million people per year). Of 890 cases, 53 (6.0%) developed fulminant hepatitis and 36 (4.0%) died. Nucleos(t)ide analogs were prescribed for 226 cases (25.4%). Only 194 cases (21.8%) were tested for HIV status.

CONCLUSION

  It is essential to monitor the trends of this communicable and preventable disease. The establishment and distribution of appropriate clinical evidence and guidelines are vital to improve the clinical practices for acute hepatitis B.

Measles-related hospitalizations and complications in Japan, 2007-2008

OBJECTIVE

In the present study we aim to describe the clinical features and related complications of severe measles requiring hospitalization in Japan in 2007 and 2008.

METHODS

We extracted the records of patients diagnosed with measles between July and December in 2007 and 2008 from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) inpatient database and the verified age distribution of patients with measles requiring hospitalization and the rate of measles-related complications. We also examined the rate of measles patients who were pregnant or had malignancies.

RESULTS

We identified 1,037 inpatients in 377 hospitals; 879 in 2007 and 158 in 2008. Overall, 554 (53.4%) were male. Patient age distribution showed two peaks; ≤4 years (21%) and 15-29 years (45%). Ninety (8.7%) patients had pneumonia, 22 (2.1%) had encephalitis, 7 (0.7%) had intestinal complications, 7 (0.7%) had conjunctivitis, 6 (0.6%) had meningitis, and 4 (0.4%) had otitis media. Patients aged ≤14 years were significantly more likely to have pneumonia (16.4%; p<0.001). The rate of encephalitis was relatively low in patients aged ≤14 years (0.9%) compared with those aged 15-29 years (3.0%) and those aged ≥30 years (2.0%); the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.141). Of 31 pregnant women, 10 had spontaneous abortion or stillbirth. Twenty-eight patients had malignancies.

CONCLUSION

The present study adds important information to our knowledge of the clinical features of severe measles. Follow-up monitoring of the trends of this distressing disease using the DPC database will be essential.