J Trauma
-
To determine the association of base deficit with mortality and other factors affecting mortality. ⋯ The base deficit is an expedient and sensitive measure of both the degree and the duration of inadequate perfusion. It is useful as a clinical tool and enhances the predictive ability of both the Revised Trauma Score and TRISS.
-
Hypothermic patients commonly develop coagulopathy, but the effects of hypothermia on coagulation remain unclear because clinical laboratories routinely perform clotting tests only at 37 degrees C. Measurements of activated partial thromboplastin times (APTT), prothrombin times (PT), and thrombin times (TT) were performed on plasma from normothermic and hypothermic rats at a range of temperatures (25 degrees-37 degrees C) to assess the effects of hypothermia on apparent clotting factor levels and clotting factor activities. In general, clotting times were more severely prolonged when test temperatures were hypothermic than when body temperatures were hypothermic. ⋯ These findings reveal the observed disparity between clinically evident hypothermic coagulopathy and near-normal clotting studies. Clotting studies performed at 37 degrees C will not confirm hypothermic coagulopathy. These results indicate that the appropriate treatment for hypothermia-induced coagulopathy is rewarming rather than administration of clotting factors.