Changes in the temporal distribution of in-hospital mortality in severely injured patients-An analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU

Exploring the impact of traumatic injury on mortality: An analysis of the certified cause of death within one year of serious injury in the Scottish population

BACKGROUND

Few studies effectively quantify the long-term incidence of death following injury. The absence of detailed mortality and underlying cause of death data results in limited understanding and a potential underestimation of the consequences at a population level. This study takes a nationwide approach to identify the one-year mortality following injury in Scotland, evaluating survivorship in relation to pre-existing comorbidities and incidental causes of death.

STUDY DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study assessed the one-year mortality of adult trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score ≥ 9 during 2020 using the Scottish Trauma Audit Group (STAG) registry linked to inpatient hospital data and death certificate records. Patients were divided into three groups: trauma death, trauma-contributed death, and non-trauma death. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis to evaluate mortality, and cox proportional hazards regression analysed risk factors linked to death.

RESULTS

4056 patients were analysed with a median age 63 years (58-88) and male predominance (55.2 %). Falls accounted for 73.1 % of injuries followed by motor vehicle accidents (16.3 %) and blunt force (4.9 %). Extremity was the most commonly injured region overall followed by chest and head. However, head injury prevailed in those who died. The registry demonstrated a one-year mortality of 19.3 % with 55 % deaths occurring post-discharge. Of all deaths reported, 35.3 % were trauma deaths, and 47.7 % were trauma-contributed deaths. These groups accounted for over 70 % of mortality within 30 days of hospital admission and continued to represent the majority of deaths up to 6 months post-injury. Patients who died after 6 months were mainly the result of non-traumatic causes, frequently circulatory, neoplastic, and respiratory diseases (37.7 %, 12.3 %, 9.1 %, respectively). Independent risk factors for one-year mortality included a GCS ≤ 8, modified Charlson Comorbidity score >5, Injury Severity Score >25, serious head injury, age and sex.

CONCLUSION

With a one-year mortality of 19.3 %, and post-discharge deaths higher than previously appreciated, patients can face an extended period of survival uncertainty. As mortality due to index trauma lasted up to 6 months post-admission, short-term outcomes fail to represent trauma burden and so cogent survival predictions should be avoided in clinical and patient settings.

The first hour of trauma reception is critical for patients with major thoracic trauma: A retrospective analysis from the TraumaRegister DGU

BACKGROUND

Up to 25% of trauma deaths are related to thoracic injuries.

OBJECTIVE

The primary goal was to analyse the incidence and time distribution of death in adult patients with major thoracic injuries. The secondary goal was to determine if potentially preventable deaths occurred within this time distribution and, if so, identify an associated therapeutic window.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational analysis.

SETTING

TraumaRegister DGU.

PATIENTS

Major thoracic injury was defined as an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 3 or greater. Patients with severe head injury (AIS ≥ 4) or injuries to other body regions with AIS being greater than the thoracic injury (AIS other >AIS thorax) were excluded to ensure that the most severe injury described was primarily thoracic related.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Incidence and time distribution of mortality were considered the primary outcome measures. Patient and clinical characteristics and resuscitative interventions were analysed in relation to the time distribution of death.

RESULTS

Among adult major trauma cases with direct admission from the accident scene, 45% had thoracic injuries and overall mortality was 9.3%. In those with major thoracic trauma ( n  = 24 332) mortality was 5.9% ( n  = 1437). About 25% of these deaths occurred within the first hour after admission and 48% within the first day. No peak in late mortality was seen. The highest incidences of hypoxia and shock were seen in non-survivors with immediate death within 1 h and early death (1 to 6 h). These groups received the largest number of resuscitative interventions. Haemorrhage was the leading cause of death in these groups, whereas organ failure was the leading cause of death amongst those who survived the first 6 h after admission.

CONCLUSION

About half of adult major trauma cases had thoracic injuries. In non-survivors with primarily major thoracic trauma, most deaths occurred immediately (<1h) or within the first 6 h after injury. Further research should analyse if improvements in trauma resuscitation performed within this time frame will reduce preventable deaths.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The present study is reported within the publication guidelines of the TraumaRegister DGU® and registered as TR-DGU project ID 2020-022.

Prehospital Trauma Scoring Systems for Evaluation of Trauma Severity and Prediction of Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Trauma scoring systems in prehospital settings are supposed to ensure the most appropriate in-hospital treatment of the injured.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the CRAMS scale (circulation, respiration, abdomen, motor and speech), RTS score (revised trauma score), MGAP (mechanism, Glasgow Coma Scale, age, arterial pressure) and GAP (Glasgow Coma Scale, age, arterial pressure) scoring systems in prehospital settings in order to evaluate trauma severity and to predict the outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective, observational study was conducted. For every trauma patient, a questionnaire was initially filled in by a prehospital doctor and these data were subsequently collected by the hospital.

RESULTS

The study included 307 trauma patients with an average age of 51.7 ± 20.9. Based on the ISS (injury severity score), severe trauma was diagnosed in 50 (16.3%) patients. MGAP had the best sensitivity/specificity ratio when the obtained values indicated severe trauma. The sensitivity and specificity were 93.4 and 62.0%, respectively, for an MGAP value of 22. MGAP and GAP were strongly correlated with each other and were statistically significant in predicting the outcome of treatment (OR 2.23; 95% Cl 1.06-4.70; p = 0.035). With a rise of one in the MGAP score value, the probability of survival increases 2.2 times.

CONCLUSION

MGAP and GAP, in prehospital settings, had higher sensitivity and specificity when identifying patients with a severe trauma and predicting an unfavorable outcome than other scoring systems.

Trauma deaths of hospitalized patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate: a retrospective descriptive study

AIM

To study the epidemiology and pattern of trauma-related deaths of hospitalized patients in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, in order to improve trauma management and injury prevention.

METHODS

The Abu Dhabi Trauma Registry prospectively collects data of all hospitalized trauma patients from seven major trauma centres in Abu Dhabi Emirate. We studied all patients who died on arrival or after admission to these hospitals from January 2014 to December 2019.

RESULTS

There were 453 deaths constituting 13.5% of all trauma deaths in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. The median (IQR) age of the patients was 33 (25-45) years, and 82% were males. 85% of the deaths occurred in the emergency department (ED) and the intensive care unit (ICU). Motor vehicle collision (63.8%) was the leading cause of death. 45.5% of the patients had head injury. Two of the seven hospitals admitted around 50% of all patients but accounted for only 25.8% of the total deaths (p < 0.001). Those who died in the ward (7%) were significantly older, median (IQR) age: of 65.5 (31.75-82.25) years, (p < 0.001), 34.4% of them were females (p = 0.09). The median (IQR) GCS of those who died in the ward was 15 (5.75-15) compared with 3 (3-3) for those who died in ED and ICU (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Death from trauma predominantly affects young males with motor traffic collision as the leading cause. Over 85% of in-hospital deaths occur in the ICU and ED, mainly from head injuries. Injury prevention of traffic collisions through enforcement of law and improved hospital care in the ED and ICU will reduce trauma death.

Predicting Early Versus Late In-Hospital Mortality in the Trauma Population

This study aimed to evaluate non-survivors who were admitted to a level I trauma center but later died, in terms of predicting who would expire early vs late. This is a single-center study of Trauma Registry data, from July 3, 2016, to February 24, 2022. The inclusion criteria were based upon age (≥18 years) and in-hospital mortality. 546 patients (mean age 58) were included in the analysis. Trauma patients who may experience an earlier death were those with increasing injury severity scores, activation of massive transfusion protocol, comorbid advanced directive limiting care, COPD, personality disorder, and ED death location. Patients were more likely to experience later in-hospital mortality, including those with increasing ICU stays, and comorbid dementia.

The Need for Trauma Management Training and Evaluation on a Prehospital Setting

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death in the world, being the main cause of death in people under 45 years old. The epidemiology of these deaths shows an important peak during the first hour after a traumatic event. Therefore, learning how to manage traumatic injuries in a prehospital setting is of great importance. Medical students from Universidad Autónoma performed 66 different simulations to stabilize a trauma patient on a prehospital scene by using a web-based trauma simulator. Then, a panel of trauma experts evaluated the simulations performed, observing that, on average, an important number of simulations were scored below 5, being the score values provided from 0, minimum, to 10, maximum. Therefore, the first need detected is the need to further train prehospital trauma management in undergraduate education. Additionally, a deeper analysis of the scores provided by the experts was performed. It showed a great dispersion in the scores provided by the different trauma experts per simulation. Therefore, a second need is identified, the need to develop a system to objectively evaluate trauma management.

Immune dysfunction following severe trauma: A systems failure from the central nervous system to mitochondria

When a traumatic injury exceeds the body's internal tolerances, the innate immune and inflammatory systems are rapidly activated, and if not contained early, increase morbidity and mortality. Early deaths after hospital admission are mostly from central nervous system (CNS) trauma, hemorrhage and circulatory collapse (30%), and later deaths from hyperinflammation, immunosuppression, infection, sepsis, acute respiratory distress, and multiple organ failure (20%). The molecular drivers of secondary injury include damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and other immune-modifying agents that activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic stress response. Despite a number of drugs targeting specific anti-inflammatory and immune pathways showing promise in animal models, the majority have failed to translate. Reasons for failure include difficulty to replicate the heterogeneity of humans, poorly designed trials, inappropriate use of specific pathogen-free (SPF) animals, ignoring sex-specific differences, and the flawed practice of single-nodal targeting. Systems interconnectedness is a major overlooked factor. We argue that if the CNS is protected early after major trauma and control of cardiovascular function is maintained, the endothelial-glycocalyx will be protected, sufficient oxygen will be delivered, mitochondrial energetics will be maintained, inflammation will be resolved and immune dysfunction will be minimized. The current challenge is to develop new systems-based drugs that target the CNS coupling of whole-body function.

Nine year in-hospital mortality trends in a high-flow level one trauma center in Italy

Trauma is the leading cause of death in young people with a considerable socio-economic impact worldwide. A trimodal distribution of trauma mortality was described in the past, but recently different studies underlined a progressive change in trauma mortality distribution linked to improvement in trauma care. This study aimed to analyze the mortality trends in a Level-One Trauma Center in Italy. Data on 6065 patients consecutively admitted to the Trauma Center between 2011 and 2020 were selected and retrospectively analyzed. Causes of Death (CODs) and time of death were stratified in four main groups and the patient sample was further divided into five age groups. Multivariate regression models were then performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. The most common COD in all age groups was Central Nervous System injuries. Immediate deaths (in ED) affected mostly patients over 75 years of age (34.3%). Deaths caused by massive hemorrhage occurred soon upon arrival in the ED, whereas deaths due to other causes (e.g. sepsis, MOF) after the first week. Patients' characteristics, the need for emergency procedures and high trauma severity scores were independent predictors of deaths. This study represented the first analysis on trauma mortality distribution in Italy over a nine-year period. The trimodal distribution described in the past seems to be no longer present in Italy, due to improvements in trauma systems and critical care. However, the high number of immediate and acute deaths underlies a persisting need for efforts in injury prevention and control .

Role of electrocardiogram findings in predicting 48-h mortality in patients with traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE

Electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns can change, especially in patients with central nervous system disorders such as spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the association between the prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ECG findings is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to compare and to analyze ECG findings to predict early mortality in patients with TBI.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study included patients with severe trauma and TBI who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) between January 2018 and December 2020. TBI was defined as an abbreviated injury scale score of the head of ≥3. We examined ECG findings, including PR prolongation (≥ 200 ms), QRS complex widening (≥ 120 ms), corrected QT interval prolongation (QTP, ≥ 480 ms), ST-segment elevation, and ST-segment depression (STD) at ED arrival. The primary outcome was 48-h mortality.

RESULTS

Of the total patients with TBI, 1024 patients were included in this study and 48-h mortality occurred in 89 patients (8.7%). In multivariate analysis, QTP (odds ratio [OR], 2.017; confidence interval [CI], 1.203-3.382) and STD (OR, 8.428; 95% CI, 5.019-14.152) were independently associated with 48-h mortality in patients with TBI. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the revised trauma score (RTS), injury severity score (ISS), QTP, STD, and the combination of QTP and STD were 0.790 (95% CI, 0.764-0.815), 0.632 (95% CI, 0.602-0.662), 0.605 (95% CI, 0.574-0.635), 0.723 (95% CI, 0.695-0.750), and 0.786 (95% CI, 0.759-0.811), respectively. The AUC of the combination of QTP and STD significantly differed from that of ISS, QTP, and STD, but not RTS.

CONCLUSION

Based on the ECG findings, QTP and STD were associated with 48-h mortality in patients with TBI.

Elevated monocyte distribution width in trauma: An early cellular biomarker of organ dysfunction

INTRODUCTION

Traumatic injury elicits an inflammatory response such as the one occurring during systemic infection. Monocyte distribution width (MDW) has been found to distinguish sepsis in a pool of patients with suspected infection. We hypothesized that an elevated MDW in trauma patients would be associated with the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and an increased mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Observational study in a dedicated trauma Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Madrid during 2019-2020. Patients were classified according to their first MDW value on admission, as greater or lesser than 21 U. Clinical data was obtained and univariate and multivariate analysis were realized, as well as a test performance analysis.

RESULTS

354 patients were studied, with a median age of 46 years, 78% male. Half presented with severe trauma ISS > 15, mostly with a blunt mechanism of injury. A MDW ≥ 21 U on admission was found in 17% of cases. These patients were more likely to present with hemodynamic instability and MODS. They had a higher length of stay (3.8 vs 2 days) and higher mortality (21 vs 5%) compared to the low MDW group. These findings remained statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, with an OR 4.6 (IC 95% 1.7-12) for MODS and 3.1 (IC 95% 1.2-8.3) for mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In trauma patients, a MDW ≥ 21 U on admission was independently associated with a greater risk of MODS, a higher mortality and a higher length of stay. This biomarker could be useful in predicting severity in the initial evaluation of trauma patients.

Causes of Death in the Seriously Injured -Why do Severely Injured Patients Die Today?

BACKGROUND

The leading cause of death among people under 45 years of age is trauma. However, there is little information from the last 10 years on the exact causes of death of seriously injured people after hospital admission in Germany. The aim of the study is to evaluate the data of a level I trauma centre from the last 10 years. The reliability of the data, frequency of the causes of death and correlations with the mechanism of injury as well as the confirmability of the data in the TraumaRegister DGU are to be investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The University Hospital Jena data were analysed for 203 deceased trauma patients from accidental death between 2007 and 2017.

RESULTS

A clear determination of the cause of death is possible in about 85% of cases on the basis of hospital data. The most frequent cause of death of severely injured patients after admission to the hospital is traumatic brain injury (59.6%), followed by organ failure (17%), haemorrhage (14%) and other causes of death (9.4%). Verification using data from the TraumaRegister DGU is possible. There is a clear correlation between mechanism of injury and cause of death.

CONCLUSIONS

The cause of death is very often a subjective assessment of the recording doctor. In particular, there are difficulties with patients who die in the resuscitation room before further diagnosis. The most frequent cause of death today is traumatic brain injury. For future evaluations, the new information in the TraumaRegister DGU is helpful because the cause of death can only be partially derived from other registry data. The correlation between the type of accident and the cause of death could be used for preventive measures.

Do deaths from road traffic injuries follow a classical trimodal pattern in North West Ethiopia? A hospital-based prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to identify timing distribution and predictors of deaths following road traffic injuries among all age groups at Gondar Comprehensive specialised hospital.

DESIGN

A single-centre prospective cohort study.

SETTING

The study hospital is a tertiary hospital in North West Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

We enrolled 454 participants who sustained road traffic injuries in to the current study. All age groups and injury severity were included except those who arrived dead, had no attendant and when the injury time was unknown.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was time to death measured in hours from injury time up to the 30th day of the injuries. Secondary outcomes were prehospital first aid, length of hospital stay and hospital arrival time. The article has been registered, with a unique identification number of research registry 6556.

RESULTS

A total of 454 victims were followed for 275 534 person hours. There were 80 deaths with an overall incidence of 2.90 deaths per 10 000 person hours of observation (95% CI 2.77 to 3.03). The significant predictors of time to death were being a driver (AHR=2.26; 95% CI 1.09 to 4.65, AR=14.8), accident at interurban roads ((AHR (Adjusted HAzard Ratio=1.98; 95% CI 1.02 to 3.82, AR (Attributable Risk)=21%)), time from injury to hospital arrival (AHR=0.41; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.63; AR=3%), systolic blood pressure on admission of <90 mm Hg (AHR=3.66; 95% CI 2.14 to 6.26; AR=57%), Glasgow Coma Scale of <8 (AHR=7.39; 95% CI 3.0819 to 17.74464; AR=75.7%), head injury with polytrauma (AHR=2.32 (1.12774 4.79; AR=37%) and interaction of distance from hospital with prehospital care.

CONCLUSION

Though the maturation of trauma centres in many developed countries has changed the temporal pattern of deaths following any trauma, our study demonstrated that trauma deaths follow the traditional trimodal pattern. That implies that potentially preventable causes of death continued in low-resource countries.

The significance of a concomitant clavicle fracture in flail chest patients: incidence, concomitant injuries, and outcome of 12,348 polytraumata from the TraumaRegister DGU®

Purpose

Isolated clavicle fractures (CF) rarely show complications, but their influence in the thorax trauma of the seriously injured still remains unclear. Some authors associate CF with a higher degree of chest injuries; therefore, the clavicle is meant to be a gatekeeper of the thorax.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU^® (project 2017-10) was carried out involving the years 2009–2016 (ISS ≥ 16, primary admission to a trauma center). Cohort formation: unilateral and bilateral flail chest injuries (FC), respectively, with and without a concomitant CF.

Results

73,141 patients (26.5% female) met the inclusion criteria and 12,348 had flail chest injuries (FC; 20.0% CF; 67.7% monolateral FC), 25,425 other rib fractures (17.7% CF), and 35,368 had no rib fractures (6.5% CF). On average, monolateral FC patients were 56.0 ± 17.9 years old and bilateral FC patients were 57.7 ± 19 years old. The ISS in unilateral and bilateral FC were 29.1 ± 11.7 and 42.2 ± 12.9 points, respectively. FC with a CF occurred more frequently with bicycle and motorbike injuries in monolateral FC and pedestrians in bilateral FC injuries and less frequently due to falls. Patients with a CF in addition to a FC had longer hospital and ICU stays, underwent artificially respiration for longer periods, and died less often than patients without a CF. The effects were highly significant in bilateral FC. CF indicates more relevant concomitant injuries of the lung, scapula, and spinal column. Moreover, CF was associated with more injuries of the extremities in monolateral CF.

Conclusion

Due to the relevance of a concomitant CF fracture in FC, diagnostics should focus on finding CFs or rule them out. Combined costoclavicular injuries are associated with a significantly higher degree of thoracic injuries and longer hospital stays.

Structured reporting of CT scans of patients with trauma leads to faster, more detailed diagnoses: An experimental study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine whether structured reports (SRs) reduce reporting time and/or increase the level of detail for trauma CT scans compared to free-text reports (FTRs).

METHOD

Eight radiology residents used SRs and FTRs to describe 14 whole-body CT scans of patients with polytrauma in a simulated emergency room setting. Each resident created both a brief report and a detailed report for each case using one of the two formats. We measured the time to complete the detailed reports and established a scoring system to objectively measure report completeness and the level of detail. Scoring sheets divided the CT findings into main and secondary criteria. Finally, the radiological residents completed a questionnaire on their opinions of the SRs and FTRs.

RESULTS

The detailed SRs were completed significantly faster than the detailed FTRs (mean 19 min vs. 25 min; p < 0.001). The maximum allowance of 25 min was used for 25% of SRs and 59% of FTRs. For brief reports, the SRs contained more secondary criteria than the FTRs (p = 0.001), but no significant differences were detected in main criteria. Study participants rated their own SRs as significantly more time-efficient, concise, and clearly structured compared to the FTRs. However, SRs and FTRs were rated similarly for quality, accuracy, and completeness.

CONCLUSION

We found that SRs for whole-body trauma CT add clinical value compared to FTRs because SRs reduce reporting time and increase the level of detail for trauma CT scans.

Design and Development of an Interactive Web-Based Simulator for Trauma Training: A Pilot Study

Trauma is the leading cause of death in people under 45 years old and one of the leading causes of death in the world. Therefore, specific trauma training during medical school as well as after it is crucial. Web-based learning is an important tool in education, offering the possibility to create realistic trauma scenarios. A web-based simulator has been developed and a pilot study has been accomplished to trial the simulator. A pelvic trauma scenario was created and 41 simulations were performed, 28 by medical students and 13 by doctors. The data analyzed are the actions taken to treat the trauma patient, the evolution of the vital signs of the patient, the timing spent on deciding which action to take, when each action was performed and the consequence that it had on the patient. Moreover, a post-simulation questionnaire was completed related to the usability of the simulator. The clinical treatment performance of doctors is better than the performance of medical students performing more actions correctly and in the right sequence as per ATLS recommendations. Moreover, significant differences are obtained in the time response provided to the patients which is key in trauma. With respect to the usability of the tool, responses provide a positive usability rating. In conclusion, this pilot study has demonstrated that the web-based training developed can be used to train and evaluate trauma management. Moreover, this research has highlighted a different approach to trauma treatment between medical students and doctors.

[Measurability of the quality of care of the severely injured]

The care of severely injured patients is characterized by the heterogeneity of the clinical picture and the time-critical aspects of many forms of treatment in the acute phase, so that quality measurement and assessment is always complex. In order to be able to operate a meaningful and structured quality management the quality must be validly measured and it must be defined what quality is. To handle this complex picture the quality of care for the severely injured is divided into three levels: structural quality, process quality and outcome quality. With respect to structural quality there are clear guidelines for personnel and structural equipment of hospitals for the optimal care of severely injured patients. This is regularly checked in Germany through trauma center certification as part of the TraumaNetzwerk DGU®. Process quality can also be measured in the care of severely injured patients. With the TraumaRegister DGU® annual report in 2017, 14 newly developed quality indicators were introduced. Due to the comprehensive participation of hospitals in the TraumaRegister DGU® structured external quality assurance is possible in addition to internal process analysis. With respect to the quality of the outcome patient reported outcome measures (PROM) have become increasingly more important in addition to the mortality. The PROMs that are used to assess the consequences of injuries are typically multidimensional and capture not only aspects of physical health but also enable self-assessment of the mental health status by the patient.

Influence of Oral Anticoagulation and Antiplatelet Drugs on Outcome of Elderly Severely Injured Patients

Introduction: Severely injured elderly patients have a poorer prognosis and higher mortality rates after severe trauma compared with younger patients. The aim of this study was to correlate the influence of pre-existing oral anticoagulation (OAC) and antiplatelet drugs (PAI) on the outcome of severely injured elderly patients. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study model over an 11-year period, severely injured elderly patients (≥65 years and ISS ≥ 16) were divided into two groups (no anticoagulation/platelet inhibitors: nAP and OAC/PAI). A comparison of the groups was conducted regarding injury frequency, trauma mechanism, severity of head injuries, and medication-related mortality. Results: In total, 254 out of 301 patients were analyzed (nAP: n = 145; OAC/PAI: n = 109, unknown data: n = 47). The most relevant injury was falling from low heights (<3 m), which led to a significantly higher number of severe injuries in patients with OAC/PAI. Patients with pre-existing OAC/PAI showed a significantly higher overall mortality rate compared to the group without (38.5% vs. 24.8%; p = 0.019). The severity of head injuries in OAC/PAI was also higher on average (AIS 3.7 ± 1.6 vs. 2.8 ± 1.9; p = 0.000). Conclusion: Pre-existing oral anticoagulation and/or platelet aggregation inhibitors are related to a higher mortality rate in elderly polytrauma patients. Low-energy trauma can lead to even more severe head injuries due to pre-existing medication than is already the case in elderly patients without OAC/PAI.

Late Mortality Prediction of Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and Platelet Ratio in Patients With Trauma Who Underwent Emergency Surgery: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte platelet (N/LP) ratios in predicting late mortality of patients with trauma who underwent emergency surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with trauma older than 19 y who underwent emergency surgery at our level I trauma center. Blood count-based ratios (N/L and N/LP at days 1, 3, and 7 of hospitalization) and trauma scores were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using univariable logistic regression and receiver operating curves.

RESULTS

A total of 209 patients were evaluated. N/LP at day 7, N/L at day 7, Trauma Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, and Injury Severity Score were significantly associated with late mortality. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting mortality was highest for N/LP at day 7 (0.867 [95% confidence interval 0.798-0.936], P < 0.001). The group with N/LP greater than the cutoff value (9.3, sensitivity 77.3%, specificity 83.1%) at day 7 showed higher mortality than the group with N/LP less than the cutoff value (35.4% versus 3.2%, P < 0.001, respectively) at day 7.

CONCLUSIONS

N/LP at day 7 may be a superior predictor of late mortality compared with preexisting trauma scores in patients with major trauma undergoing emergency surgery, by better reflecting the systemic inflammation status.

Process related decisions and in-hospital transport times in polytrauma patients benefit from 24/7 in-house presence of trauma surgeons

BACKGROUND

Time and cause of death in polytrauma has shifted due to improvements in trauma and critical care. These include logistical improvements with dedicated trauma teams and in-house trauma surgeons. This study investigated in-hospital transport times and influence of process related decisions on mortality in polytrauma patients.

STUDY DESIGN

A 6.5-year prospective study included consecutive polytrauma patients ≥15 years admitted to a Level-1 Trauma Center ICU with 24/7 in-house trauma surgeons. Demographics, physiologic parameters, pre- and in-hospital transport times were prospectively collected. Data are presented as median(IQR).

RESULTS

391 patients were included with median ISS of 29(22-36). 82 patients(21%) had a SBP≤90 mmHg on arrival in ED. 44 patients went from ED directly to OR for urgent surgery, all others had CT prior to OR and/or ICU. Patients who went directly to OR from ED had median transport time of 28(23-37) min. Patients who had CT after ED had median transport time of 31(25-42) min. 74(19%) patients died, majority caused by TBI(70%). Ten patients died <24 h after trauma (4 hemorrhage,3 TBI,2 ischemia,1 cardiac injury), 9 of them went straight to OR from ED. Death could possibly have been prevented in 1 patient (1%) who later died of hemorrhage but went to CT before urgent surgery.

CONCLUSION

In-hospital transport times from ED were half an hour regardless of the following destination (OR/CT). Decisions for transport order based on clinical signs in primary survey were rapid and accurate. This could be attributed to dedicated trauma teams and 24/7 physical presence of trauma surgeons.

Trauma-registry survival outcome follow up: 30 days is mandatory and appears sufficient

INTRODUCTION

Thirty-day in-hospital mortality is a common outcome measure in trauma-registry research and benchmarking. However, this does not include deaths after hospital discharge before 30 days or late deaths beyond 30 days since the injury. To evaluate the reliability of this outcome measure, we assessed the timing and causes of death during the first year after major blunt trauma in patients treated at a single tertiary trauma center.

METHODS

We used the Helsinki Trauma Registry to identify severely injured (NISS ≥ 16) blunt trauma patients during 2006 to 2015. The Population Register center of Finland provided the mortality data for patients and Statistics Finland provided the cause of death information from death certificates. Disease, work-related disease, medical treatment, and unknown cause of death were considered as non-trauma related deaths. We divided the 1-year study period into the following three categories: in-hospital death before 30 days (Group 1), death after discharge but within 30 days (Group 2), and death 31 to 365 days since admission (Group 3).

RESULTS

We included 3557 patients with a median NISS of 29. Altogether, 21.8% (776/3557) patients died during the first year since the injury. Of these non-survivors, 12.7% (450) were in Group 1, 4.0% (141) in Group 2, and 5.2% (185) in Group 3. Non-traumatic deaths not directly related to the injury increased substantially as the time from the injury increased and were 2.0% (9/450) in Group 1, 13.5% (19/141) in Group 2, and 35.7% (66/185) in Group 3.

CONCLUSION

Thirty-day mortality is a proper outcome that measures survival after severe blunt trauma. However, applying only in-hospital mortality instead of actual 30-day mortality may exclude non-survivors who die at another facility before day 30. This could result in over-optimistic benchmarking results. On the other hand, extending the follow-up period beyond 30 days increases the rate of non-traumatic deaths. By combining data from different registries, it is possible to address this challenge in current trauma-registry research caused by lack of follow up.

Are There Any Red Flag Injuries in Severely Injured Patients in Older Age?

Introduction: Severely injured elderly patients pose a significant burden to trauma centers and, compared with younger patients, have worse prognoses and higher mortality rates after major trauma. The objective of this study was to identify the etiological mechanisms that are associated with severe trauma in elderly patients and to detect which injuries correlate with high mortality in elderly patients. Methods: Using a prospect cohort study model over an 11-year period, severely injured patients (ISS ≥ 16) were divided into two age groups (Group 1: 18–64; Group 2: 65–99 years). A comparison of the groups was conducted regarding injury frequency, trauma mechanism, distribution of affected body parts (AIS and ISS regions) and injury related mortality. Results: In total, 1008 patient were included (Group 1: n = 771; Group 2: n = 237). The most relevant injury in elderly patients was falling from low heights (<3 m) in contrast to traffic accident in young patients. Severely injured patients in the older age group showed a significantly higher overall mortality rate compared to the younger group (37.6% vs. 11.7%; p = 0.000). In both groups, the 30-day survival for patients without head injuries was significantly better compared to patients with head injuries (92.7% vs. 85.3%; p = 0.017), especially analyzing elderly patients (86.6% vs. 58.6%; p = 0.003). The relative risk of 30-day mortality in patients who suffered a head injury was also higher in the elderly group (OR: Group 1: 4.905; Group 2: 7.132). Conclusion: In contrast to younger patients, falls from low heights (<3 m) are significant risk factors for severe injuries in the geriatric collective. Additionally, elderly patients with an ISS ≥ 16 had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to severe injured younger patients. Head injuries, even minor head traumata, are associated with a significant increase in mortality. These findings will contribute to the development of more age-related therapy strategies in severely injured patients.

Neglected No More: Emerging Cellular Therapies in Traumatic Injury

Traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in both military and civilian populations. Given the complexity and diversity of traumatic injuries, novel and individualized treatment strategies are required to optimize outcomes. Cellular therapies have potential benefit for the treatment of acute or chronic injuries, and various cell-based pharmaceuticals are currently being tested in preclinical studies or in clinical trials. Cellular therapeutics may have the ability to complement existing therapies, especially in restoring organ function lost due to tissue disruption, prolonged hypoxia or inflammatory damage. In this article we highlight the current status and discuss future directions of cellular therapies for the treatment of traumatic injury. Both published research and ongoing clinical trials are discussed here.

Acromioclavicular and sternoclavicular joint dislocations indicate severe concomitant thoracic and upper extremity injuries in severely injured patients

Preliminary studies show that clavicle fractures (CF) are known as an indicator in the severely injured for overall injury severity that are associated with relevant concomitant injuries in the thorax and upper extremity. In this regard, little data is available for the rarer injuries of the sternoclavicular and acromioclavicular joints (SCJ and ACJ, respectively). Our study will answer whether clavicular joint injuries (CJI), by analogy, have a similar relevance for the severely injured. We performed an analysis from the TraumaRegister DGU (TR-DGU). The inclusion criterion was an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of at least 16. In the TR-DGU, the CJI were registered as one entity. The CJI group was compared with the CF and control groups (those without any clavicular injuries). Concomitant injuries were distinguished using the Abbreviated Injury Scale according to their severity. The inclusion criteria were met by n = 114,595 patients. In the case of CJI, n = 1228 patients (1.1%) were found to be less severely injured than the controls in terms of overall injury severity. Compared to the CF group (n = 12,030; 10.5%) with higher ISS than the controls, CJI cannot be assumed as an indicator for a more severe trauma; however, CF can. Concomitant injuries were more common for severe thoracic and moderate upper extremity injuries than other body parts for CJI. This finding confirms our hypothesis that CJI could be an indicator of further specific severe concomitant injuries. Despite the rather lower relevance of the CJI in the cohort of severely injured with regard to the overall injury severity, these injuries have their importance in relation to the indicator effect for thoracic concomitant injuries and concomitant injuries of the upper extremity. A limitation is the collective registration of SCJ and ACJ injuries as one entity in the TR-DGU. A distorted picture of the CJI in favor of ACJ injuries could arise from the significantly higher incidence of the ACJ dislocation compared to the SCJ. Therefore, these two injury entities should be recorded separately in the future, and prospective studies should be carried out in order to derive a standardized treatment strategy for the care of severely injured with the respective CJI.

Mortality in severely injured patients: nearly one of five non-survivors have been already discharged alive from ICU

BACKGROUND

Most trauma patients admitted to the hospital alive and die later on, decease during the initial care in the emergency department or the intensive care unit (ICU). However, a number of patients pass away after having been discharged from the ICU during the initial hospital stay. On first sight these cases could be seen as "failure to rescue" of potentially salvageable patients. A low rate of such patients might be a potential indicator of quality for trauma care on ICUs and surgical wards.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of the TraumaRegister DGU® with data from 2015 to 2017. Patients that died during the initial ICU stay were compared to those who were discharged from the initial ICU stay for at least 24 h but died later on.

RESULTS

A total of 82,313 trauma patients were included in the TraumaRegister DGU®. In total, 6576 patients (8.0%) died during their hospital stay. Out of those, 5481 were admitted to the ICU alive and 972 patients (17.7%) were discharged from ICU and died later on. Those were older (mean age: 77 vs. 68 years), less severely injured (mean ISS: 23.1 vs. 30.0 points) and had a longer mean ICU length of stay (10 vs. 6 days). A limitation of life-sustaining therapy due to a documented living will was present in 46.1% of all patients who died during their initial ICU stay and in 59.9% of patients who died after discharge from their initial ICU stay.

CONCLUSIONS

17.7% of all non-surviving severely injured trauma patients died within the hospital after discharge from their initial ICU treatment. Their death can partially be explained by a limitation of therapy due to a living will. In conclusion, the rate of such late deaths may partially represent patients that died of potentially avoidable or treatable complications.

Motorcycle-related trauma:effects of age and site of injuries on mortality. A single-center, retrospective study

Background

Motorcyclists are often victims of road traffic incidents. Though elderly patients seem to have worse survival outcomes and sustain more severe injuries than younger patients, concordance in the literature for this does not exist. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of age and injury severity on the mortality of patients undergoing motorcycle trauma.

Methods

Data of 1725 patients consecutively admitted to our Trauma Center were selected from 2002 to 2016 and retrospectively analyzed. The sample was divided into three age groups: ≤ 17 years, 18–54 years, and ≥ 55 years. Mortality rates were analyzed for the overall population and patients with Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 25. Differences in survival among age groups were evaluated with log-rank test, and multivariate logistic regression models were created to identify independent predictors of mortality.

Results

A lower survival rate was detected in patients older than 55 years (83.6% vs 94.7%, p = 0.049) and in those sustaining critical injuries (ISS ≥ 25, 61% vs 83%, p = 0.021). Age (p = 0.027, OR 1.03), ISS (p < 0.001, OR 1.09), and Revised Trauma Score (RTS) (p < 0.001, OR 0.47) resulted as independent predictors of death. Multivariate analysis identified head (p < 0.001, OR 2.04), chest (p < 0.001, OR 1.54), abdominal (p < 0.001, OR 1.37), and pelvic (p = 0.014, OR 1.26) injuries as independent risk factors related to mortality as well. Compared to the theoretical probability of survival, patients of all age groups showed a survival advantage when managed at a level I trauma center.

Conclusions

We detected anatomical injury distributions and mortality rates among three age groups. Patients aging more than 55 years had an increased risk of death, with a prevalence of severe chest injuries, while younger patients sustained more severe head trauma. Age represented an independent predictor of death. Management of these patients at a level I trauma center may lead to improved outcomes.

Early increase in anti-inflammatory biomarkers is associated with the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in severely injured trauma patients

Background

As a result of improvements in the early resuscitation phase of trauma, mortality is largely driven by later mortality due to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), which may be mediated by an early overdrive in the host immune response. If patients at risk for MODS could be identified early, preventive treatment measures could be taken. The aim of this study is to investigate whether specific biomarkers are associated with MODS.

Methods

Multiple trauma patients presenting to the Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Academic Medical Center, between 2012 and 2018 with an Injury Severity Score of 16 or higher were sampled on arrival at the emergency department. A wide variety of inflammatory cytokines, endothelial and lung-specific markers were determined. Comparisons were made between patients with and without MODS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine associations between specific biomarkers and MODS. A p value of 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

In total, 147 multiple trauma patients were included. Of these, 32 patients developed MODS (21.7%). Patients who developed MODS were more severely injured, had more traumatic brain injury and showed more deranged markers of coagulation when compared with patients without MODS. Overall, both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were higher in patients with MODS, indicative of a host immune reaction. In the multivariate analysis, the combination of anti-inflammatory proteins interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) (OR 1.27 (1.07–1.51), p=0.002) and Clara cell protein 16 (CC-16) (1.06 (1.01–1.05), p=0.031) was most strongly associated with the development MODS.

Conclusions

In trauma, anti-inflammatory proteins IL-1RA and CC-16 have the potential to early identify patients at risk for development of MODS. Further research is warranted to prospectively validate these results.

Level of evidence

Prognostic study, level III.

Are Pre-hospital Trauma Deaths Preventable? A Systematic Literature Review

BACKGROUND

The first and largest peak of trauma mortality is encountered on the trauma site. The aim of this study was to determine whether these trauma-related deaths are preventable. We performed a systematic literature review with a focus on pre-hospital preventable deaths in severely injured patients and their causes.

METHODS

Studies published in a peer-reviewed journal between January 1, 1990 and January 10, 2018 were included. Parameters of interest: country of publication, number of patients included, preventable death rate (PP = potentially preventable and DP = definitely preventable), inclusion criteria within studies (pre-hospital only, pre-hospital and hospital deaths), definition of preventability used in each study, type of trauma (blunt versus penetrating), study design (prospective versus retrospective) and causes for preventability mentioned within the study.

RESULTS

After a systematic literature search, 19 papers (total 7235 death) were included in this literature review. The majority (63.1%) of studies used autopsies combined with an expert panel to assess the preventability of death in the patients. Pre-hospital death rates range from 14.6 to 47.6%, in which 4.9-11.3% were definitely preventable and 25.8-42.7% were potentially preventable. The most common (27-58%) reason was a delayed treatment of the trauma victims, followed by management (40-60%) and treatment errors (50-76.6%).

CONCLUSION

According to our systematic review, a relevant amount of the observed mortality was described as preventable due to delays in treatment and management/treatment errors. Standards in the pre-hospital trauma system and management should be discussed in order to find strategies to reduce mortality.