Atención de los pacientes con trauma grave durante los primeros días: evolución entre la urgencia, el pabellón y la unidad de cuidados intensivos / Features of patients with trauma admitted to an emergency room of a general hospital

Background: Trauma is the main cause of death among people aged 5 to 44 years. Aim: To describe features, treatment and evolution of trauma patients admitted to an emergency room. Material and Methods: Adult patients admitted in the emergency department of a public hospital due to severe trauma were studied and followed during their hospital stay. Results: We included 114 patients aged 40 ± 17 years (78%men) with an injury severity score of 21 ± 11. Trauma was penetrating in 43%. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the most common diagnosis in 46%. In the emergency room, 8% had hypotension, 5% required vasopressors and 23% required mechanical ventilation. The initial lactate was 3.6 ± 2.9 mmol/L. Sixty-five patients (57%) required emergency surgery. The intraoperative lactate was 3 ± 1.7 mmol/L and 20% required vasopressors. Sixty-four patients (56%) were admitted to the ICU, with APACHEII and SOFA scores of 16 ± 8 and 5 ± 3, respectively. ICU lactate was 3.2±1.5 mmol/L. In the ICU 40% required vasopressors and 63% mechanical ventilation. Thirty two percent had coagulopathy, 43% received transfusions and 10% required massive transfusions. The hospital stay was 13 (6-32) days, being significantly longer in patients with TBI. ICU and hospital mortalities were 12.5 and 18.4% respectively. The only predictor for mortality was the APACHEII score (Hazard Ratio 1.18, 95% confidence intervals 1.03-1.36). Conclusions: APACHE score was a predictor of mortality in this group of patients.

Características de los pacientes traumatizados que ingresan a la UCI de un hospital general en Chile / Characteristics of trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a general hospital in Chile

Background: Trauma is an important cause of death among young adults. Aim: To determine the characteristics, treatments and evolution of trauma patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) of a public hospital in Santiago, Chile. Material and Methods: All polytrauma (PT) and severely traumatized (ST) patients admitted to ICU were included. We recorded the type of trauma along with demographic and hemodynamic variables, treatments and complications. The evolution and treatments received by PT and ST patients were compared. Results: We recorded data from 72 patients aged 43 ± 21 years (93% males). Sixty two percent were PT and 24% had penetrating injuries. TBI (Trauma Brain Injury) was the most common trauma. On admission, acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 18.7 + 7.3, and Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 32.8 + 20.1. ICU stay was 7.8 + 6 days. Sixty seven per cent of patients required surgery and 58% received blood transfusions. No differences were found between PT and ST. ICU and hospital mortality rates were 15 and 25% respectively. Conclusions: The characteristics and evolution of PT and ST of this series of patients are similar to those described abroad. Mortality was in agreement with ISS and APACHE II scores.

Insuficiencia renal aguda asociada a papilitis necrotizante: reporte de un caso clínico / Acute kidney failure associated to papillary necrosis: a clinical case report

La papilitis necrotizante es una complicación de diversas patologías que tienen en común el desarrollo de algún grado de isquemia renal, las más importantes son la Diabetes Mellitus, la nefropatía por antiinflamatorios no esteroidales y la infección urinaria, estando esta última condición presente en más de 2/3 de los casos. Su espectro clínico es muy amplio, desde casos asintomáticos hasta casos de insuficiencia renal aguda obstructiva y muerte, de no mediar tratamiento oportuno. Este artículo presenta un caso clínico de papilitis necrotizante, con el fin de ilustrar las características clínicas principales de esta patología, de alta mortalidad y probablemente subdiagnosticada en nuestro medio.