J Trauma
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Classifying transfusions related to the anemia of critical illness in burn patients.
Critically ill patients require transfusions because of acute blood loss and the anemia of critical illness. In critically ill burn patients, typically, no distinction is made between transfusions related to acute surgical blood loss and those related to the anemia of critical illness. We sought to identify the percentage of blood transfusions due to the anemia of critical illness and the clinical characteristics associated with these transfusions in severely burned patients. ⋯ The anemia of critical illness is responsible for >50% of all transfusions in severely burned patients. The initial severity of critical illness (APACHE II score) and duration of the critical illness (number of ventilator days) correlated with transfusions related to anemia of critical illness. Further investigation into the specific risk factors for these transfusions may help to develop strategies to further reduce transfusion rates.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Blunt cerebrovascular injury is poorly predicted by modeling with other injuries: analysis of NTDB data.
Traumatic blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) may portend catastrophic complications if untreated. Who should be screened for BCVI is controversial. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a prediction score (pBCVI) to identify those at sufficient risk to warrant dedicated screening. ⋯ A model based on a pattern of other injuries cannot be used as a stand-alone instrument to determine screening for BCVI. "Optimal" model cut-points are not ideal for all injuries. Clinical suspicion that integrates energy of mechanism and associated injuries remains essential to effectively screen for BCVI and minimize patient risk for a catastrophic missed injury.
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There are many clinical decision rules for adults with minor head injury, but it is unclear how they compare in terms of diagnostic accuracy. This study aimed to systematically identify clinical decision rules for adults with minor head injury and compare the estimated diagnostic accuracies for any intracranial injury and injury requiring neurosurgical intervention. ⋯ The most widely researched decision rule is the CCHR, which has consistently shown high sensitivity for identifying injury requiring neurosurgical intervention with an acceptable specificity to allow considered use of cranial computed tomography. No other decision rule has been as widely validated or demonstrated as acceptable results, but its exclusion criteria make it difficult to apply universally.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Outcomes of trauma victims with cardiac arrest who survive to intensive care unit admission.
The prognosis for patients with return of spontaneous circulation after trauma-related cardiac arrest (TRCA) is unclear. Our purpose was to (1) determine outcomes for patients with TRCA resuscitated and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), (2) identify ICU-based predictors of in-hospital death in this population, and (3) compare outcomes of patients resuscitated from TRCA and atraumatic cardiac arrest (ATCA). ⋯ Despite lower survival than ATCAs, a significant percentage of TRCAs surviving to ICU admission were discharged alive. This suggests aggressive support of this population is not necessarily futile. Investigation into whether optimization of postresuscitation factors would improve outcome for these patients may be warranted.
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Comparative Study
Telemedicine to a moving ambulance improves outcome after trauma in simulated patients.
Rural trauma victims often require prolonged transport by s with limited scopes of practice. We evaluated the impact of telemedicine (TM) to a moving ambulance on outcomes in simulated trauma patients. ⋯ TM to a moving ambulance improved the care of simulated trauma patients. Furthermore, procedurally naïve EMTs were able to perform needle thoracostomy and pericardiocentesis with TM guidance.