J Trauma
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Multicenter Study
Socioeconomic disparities in infant mortality after nonaccidental trauma: a multicenter study.
While disparities in abuse-related mortality between minority and white infants have been reported, the influence of socioeconomic status on outcome has not been evaluated. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of socioeconomic status and race on outcomes for abused infants using multiinstitutional data. ⋯ There are significant differences in mortality among abused infants associated with insurance status and income even after controlling for injury severity. These associations show a need to better understand and address socioeconomic variations in outcome.
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The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical course and outcome of drowning cases related to current US military combat operations. ⋯ Drowning associated with combat operations was associated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardiovascular shock. GCS score and the need for CPR at the scene of injury were associated with eventual mortality because of anoxic brain injury in all cases.
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Comparative Study
A large animal survival model (Sus scrofa) of extremity ischemia/reperfusion and neuromuscular outcomes assessment: a pilot study.
Extremity ischemia/reperfusion has been studied mostly in small-animal models with limited characterization of neuromuscular or functional outcome. The objective of this experiment was to report a large-animal survival model of extremity ischemia/reperfusion using circulating, electromyographic (EMG), gate, and histologic measures of injury and limb recovery. ⋯ This study reports a new large-animal survival model of extremity ischemia/reperfusion using circulating, functional, and histologic markers of neuromuscular recovery. Findings provide insight into an extremity ischemic threshold after which functional neuromuscular recovery is lost. Additional study is necessary to define this threshold and factors that may move it to a more or less favorable position in the setting of extremity injury.
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Comparative Study
Response to infection control challenges in the deployed setting: Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), including Acinetobacter, have complicated the care of military personnel injured in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Cumulative data suggest that nosocomial transmission of MDROs in deployed medical treatment facilities (MTFs) has contributed to these infections. A 2008 review of deployed MTFs identified multiple factors impeding the performance of infection prevention and control (IC) practices. In response, efforts to emphasize IC basics, improve expertise, and better track MDRO colonization were pursued. ⋯ Maintaining a strong IC effort in the deployed setting, even in a stabilized operational environment, is difficult. Use of innovative strategies to enhance expertise and practice were implemented to reduce MDRO infections.
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Comparative Study
Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein is a highly specific biomarker for traumatic brain injury in humans compared with S-100B and neuron-specific enolase.
Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a specific predictor of brain damage and neurologic outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, serum GFAP, S-100B, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were compared in the same samples from severe trauma patients to assess their ability to predict abnormalities detectable on head computed tomography (CT). ⋯ Serum GFAP has remarkable diagnostic value for TBI, defined by abnormal head CT findings, in prehospital-triaged patients with severe trauma.