Does time to angiography affect the survival of trauma patients with embolization to the pelvis? A retrospective study across trauma centers in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic pelvic injuries can result in rapid exsanguination. Bleeding control interventions include stabilization, angiography, and possible embolization. Previous studies yielded conflicting results regarding the benefit of a shorter time to embolization. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the time to angioembolization on the survival of patients presenting with pelvic injuries using a national database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational retrospective study that used the National Trauma Data Bank 2017 dataset. Adult patients with pelvic injuries and who received angiography with embolization to the pelvis were included. Univariate and bivariate analyses (survival to hospital discharge yes/no) were done. This was followed by a multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the impact of time to angiography on survival to hospital discharge after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total of 1,057 patients were included. They were predominantly of male gender (69.3 %) with a median age of 50 years (IQR = [31-64]). The mean time to pelvic angiography was 264.0 ± 204.4 min. The overall survival rate at hospital discharge was 72.0 %. Time to angiography was not significantly associated with survival to hospital discharge before and after adjusting for clinically and statistically significant confounders (aOR = 1.000; 95 %CI=[0.999 - 1.001]; p = 0.866). CONCLUSION: Time to angiography was not associated with survival to hospital discharge of patients with pelvic injuries who required embolization. Further research examining specific patterns of injuries and assessing the impact of early angioembolization is needed.

Which Trauma Severity Scores Are Useful in Predicting Pediatric Mortality?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trauma is the leading cause of death in children. Several trauma severity scores exist: the shock index (SI), age-adjusted SI (SIPA), reverse SI (rSI), and rSI multiplied by Glasgow Coma Score (rSIG). However, it is unknown which is the best predictor of clinical outcomes in children. Our goal was to determine the association between trauma severity scores and mortality in pediatric trauma. DESIGN AND METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was performed using the 2015 US National Trauma Data Bank, including patients 1 to 18 years old and excluding patients with unknown emergency department dispositions. The scores were calculated using initial emergency department parameters. Descriptive analysis was carried out. Variables were stratified by outcome (hospital mortality). Then, for each trauma score, a multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine its association with mortality. RESULTS: A total of 67,098 patients with a mean age of 11 ±5 years were included. Majority of the patients were male (66%) and had an injury severity score <15 (87%). Eighty-four percent of patients were admitted: 15% to the intensive care unit and 17% directly to the operating room. The mortality at hospital discharge was 3%.There was a statistically significant association between SI, rSI, rSIG, and mortality ( P < 0.05). The highest adjusted odds ratio for mortality corresponded to rSIG, followed by rSI then SI (8.51, 1.9, and 1.3, respectively). CONCLUSION: Several trauma scores may help predict mortality in children with trauma, the best being rSIG. Introduction of these scores in algorithms for pediatric trauma evaluations can impact clinical decision-making.

Factors associated with survival in adult trauma patients undergoing angiography with and without embolization across trauma centers in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Interventional angiography is increasingly utilized in trauma management for various injuries. Despite published guidelines by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma on the use of angiography, limited data exist on factors associated with outcomes in angiography procedures. This study examines factors associated with survival to hospital discharge in trauma patients undergoing angiography with or without embolization across US trauma centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study used the National Trauma Data Bank 2017 dataset and included adult trauma patients who underwent conventional angiography with or without embolization. A bivariate analysis was done to compare patients' characteristics by outcome (survived/died), followed by a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with survival to hospital discharge after adjusting for important confounders. RESULTS: In the included sample of 4242 patients, median age was 41 years and male gender was predominant (72.6%). Overall mean time to angiography was 263.77 ± 750.19 min. Factors positively associated with survival included treatment at large facilities with over 401 beds (OR = 2.170; 95% CI, [1.277-3.685]), helicopter ambulance/fixed-wing transport (OR = 1.736; 95% CI, [1.325-2.275]), mild Glasgow Coma Scale (OR = 7.621; 95% CI, [5.868-9.898]) and moderate Glasgow Coma Scale (OR = 3.127; 95% CI, [2.080-4.701]), SBP ≥ 90 (OR = 1.516; 95% CI [1.199-1.916]), and spleen as embolization site (OR = 1.647; 95% CI [1.119-2.423]). CONCLUSION: This nationwide study identified variables associated with survival in trauma patients who underwent angiography. These variables can serve in creating standardized risk stratification tools that could be incorporated into evidence-based guidelines for angiography candidates.

Trauma center designation level and survival of patients with chest wall instability.

INTRODUCTION: Chest wall instability is a potentially life-threatening condition that should be evaluated at a trauma center. While patients with chest wall instability are sent to different trauma center levels, the impact of this on outcomes has not been evaluated yet. This study examines survival to hospital discharge of patients with chest wall instability treated at different trauma center levels. METHODS: This is an observational retrospective cohort study analyzed data from National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2017 dataset. The study sample consisted of adult patients who presented with chest wall instability or deformity and for whom the ED disposition was recorded. Descriptive analysis was carried out. Hospital information, patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, and dispositions were compared based on the main independent variable "trauma designation level. This was followed by LASSO regression to determine the impact of the trauma designation level on patients' survival after controlling for most of the extracted factors from NTDB to conduct this study. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 1172 patients sustaining chest wall instability or deformity. Most patients were males (78.2%) and had a median age of 52 years. Most were taken to level I (51.5%) or level II (43.2%) trauma centers. The overall survival to hospital discharge was 78.2%. After adjusting for confounders, no difference in patients' survival was noticed between those taken to level II [OR = 1.000; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.976-1.025] or III [OR = 1.000; 95% CI: 0.993-1.007] trauma centers and those taken to level I centers. CONCLUSION: Survival rates for patients having chest wall instability were similar when transported to level II or level III versus level I centers. This finding can help guide pre-hospital field triage criteria for this specific type of injury and highlights the need for more outcome research in organized trauma systems.

Interventional angiography utilization for adult trauma patients in Trauma Centers across the United States: An observational study using the National Trauma Data Bank.

Angiography and embolization are part of trauma management protocols for various injuries. This study examines the use of angiography and embolization use in trauma care across Trauma Centers in the United States. We used the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2017 dataset in this retrospective observational study. Adult trauma patients (≥16 years) who underwent conventional angiography with or without embolization were included. A univariate analysis was carried out to describe patients' demographic and injury characteristics as well as the time to angiography, angiography details, complications, and outcome (survival to hospital discharge: yes/no). One-year period prevalence proportion of angiography procedure was determined. A total of 4242 patients were included. The 1-year period prevalence proportion of angiography procedure with or without embolization was 0.53% (95% confidence intervals: 0.527-0.529). The median age was 41 years (interquartile range: 27-58) with most patients being in the age group 16 to 64 (83.8%) and males (72.6%). Over half of the patients, 55.4% had an embolization procedure performed in addition to angiography. The mean time to angiography was 263.77 ±â€…750.19 minutes. The most common embolization sites were the pelvis (24.9%), spleen (11.8%), and liver (9%). This study described angiography and embolization utilization in adult trauma patients in Trauma Centers in the US. Its findings provide the basis for future studies to examine more closely angiography/embolization utilization in specific subpopulations, and to create standardized risk stratification tools for trauma patients who are candidates for this procedure.

Injury severity score as a predictor of mortality in adult trauma patients by injury mechanism types in the United States: A retrospective observational study.

Injury severity score (ISS) is commonly used in trauma registries to describe injury severity and to predict outcomes in trauma patients regardless of injury mechanism. This study examined the correlation between ISS and mortality in adult trauma patients presenting to emergency departments in the United States with different mechanisms of injury. A retrospective observational study was conducted using the 2014 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Patients' characteristics were stratified by mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for death against ISS for each mechanism of injury. A logistic regression model was conducted for each mechanism of injury to determine whether ISS (≥16 vs <16) is a predictor of mortality. The study sample consisted of 16,147,058 weighted adult trauma patients. Median age was 46 years. Slightly over half were females (51.9%). Falls, motor vehicle accidents and being struck by or against, were the most commonly reported mechanisms of injury (44.6%, 18.1%, and 15.3%, respectively). The overall mortality in the study population was 0.4%. The area under the ROC curve was highest in injuries sustained in accidents involving machinery (0.947; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.896-0.998), followed by motor vehicle traffic (MVA) (0.788; 95% CI, 0.775-0.801) and cutting or piercing (0.746; 95% CI, 0.701-0.791). Deceased patients were accurately identified by ISS 65.2% in injury by machinery, 47.7% in injury involving MVA, 39.7% in injury by firearm and 31.4% in injury by assault. After adjusting for confounders, the multivariate models in which ISS was the main independent factor performed best in predicting mortality from firearm and machinery mechanism of injuries. Although the ROC curve analysis demonstrated a moderate or high discriminatory ability to identify deceased patients in 6 out of twelve mechanisms, and the multivariate analysis revealed that ISS was a significant predictor of mortality in 9 out of 12 injury mechanisms, the sensitivities of all logistic regression models were poor. The ISS ≥ 16 threshold alone therefore should not be used to identify patients with high-mortality risk. The mortality risk assessment should be done individually and be based on clinical evaluation.

The Beirut Port Blast: spectrum of injuries and clinical outcomes at a large tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon.

PURPOSE: To describe injuries and outcomes of casualties of Beirut Port Blast treated at a large tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon. METHODS: A retrospective observational study assessing the spectrum of injuries, treatment, and medical outcome among casualties of the Beirut Port Blast, immediately after the blast and up to 1 week from the blast to the emergency department of the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). RESULTS: A total of 359 patients were included. Most (n = 343, 95.6%) were adults (> 19 years), and males (56%) with a mean age of 42 ± 20 years. The most frequent mechanism of injury was a penetrating injury (45.7%), followed by other blast-related injuries (30.4%), and blunt injuries (23.4%). The most affected anatomical location were the limbs. Most (n = 217, 60.4%) patients required imaging. The most frequently administered medication was analgesics (38%), followed by anesthetics (35%), antibiotics (31%), tetanus vaccine (31%), and fluids (28%). Blood and blood products were administered in 3.8% of cases. Emergent procedures included endotracheal intubation (n = 18, 5%), surgical airway (n = 3, 0.8%), chest tube insertion (n = 4, 1.1%), thoracotomy (n = 1, 0.3%), and CPR (n = 5, 1.4%). A quarter of patients required surgical operations in the operating room (n = 85, 23.6%) and 18% required noncritical care admissions, 5.3% required critical care admissions, and 2.8% were dead on arrival. CONCLUSION: Casualties from this event had significant injuries requiring lifesaving interventions, surgical procedures, and admission to critical care units. High utilization of imaging modalities and of medications from existing stockpiles was also observed.

Association between Mode of Transportation and Survival in Adult Trauma Patients with Penetrating Injuries: Matched Cohort Study between Police and Ground Ambulance Transport.

INTRODUCTION: Police transport (PT) of penetrating trauma patients has the potential to improve survival rates. There are no well-established guidelines for PT of penetrating trauma patients. STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study examines the association between survival rate to hospital discharge of adult penetrating trauma patients and mode of transport (PT versus ground ambulance [GA]). METHODS: A retrospective, matched cohort study was conducted using the United States (US) National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). All adult penetrating injury patients transported by police to trauma centers were identified and matched (one-to-four) to patients transported by GA for analysis. Descriptive analysis was carried out. The patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were tabulated and stratified by the transport mode. RESULTS: Out of the 733 patients with penetrating injuries, ground Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transported 513 patients and police transported 220 patients. Most patients were 16-64 years of age with a male (95.6%) and Black/African American race (79.0%) predominance. Firearm-related injuries (68.8%) were the most common mechanism of injury with the majority of injuries involving the body extremities (62.9%). Open wounds were the most common nature of injury (75.7%). The overall survival rate to hospital discharge was similar for patients transported by GA and by police (94.5% versus 92.7%; P = .343). CONCLUSION: In this study, patients with penetrating trauma transported by police had similar outcomes to those transported by GA. As such, PT in penetrating trauma appears to be effective. Detailed protocols should be developed to further improve resource utilization and outcomes.

Paediatric injury in Beirut: a multicentre retrospective chart review study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the epidemiology of paediatric injury in Beirut, giving insights into their characteristics, contributing risk factors and outcomes. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective study was conducted to review medical charts for children aged 0-15 years presented to five hospital emergency departments (ED) located in Beirut over a 1-year period (June 2017-May 2018). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1142 trauma-related visits for children under 15 years of age were included. A descriptive analysis and a bivariate analysis were performed to investigate admitted and treated/discharged patients. PRIMARY OUTCOME: A logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with hospital admission among injured children. RESULTS: A total of 1142 cases of paediatric injury ED cases were sampled, mean age was 7.7±4.35 years. Children aged 0-5 years accounted for more than one-third of the total cases, 40.0% (206/516) of the fall injuries and 60.1% (220/366) of home injuries. The leading cause of paediatric injury was fall (45.2%), nearly 4.1% of the cases were admitted to hospitals. Factors associated with admission included injury to abdomen (OR=8.25 (CI 1.11 to 61.24)), to upper extremity (OR=5.79 (CI 2.04 to 16.49)), to lower extremity (OR=5.55 (95% CI 2.02 to 15.20) and other insurance type (OR=8.33 (CI 2.19 to 31.67)). The three types of injuries mostly associated with hospital admission were fracture (OR=13.55 (CI 4.77 to 38.44)), concussion (OR=13.60 (CI 2.83 to 65.41)) and organ system injury (OR=31.63 (CI 3.45 to 290.11)). CONCLUSIONS: Injury remains a major health problem among the paediatric population in Lebanon. Parental child safety educational programmes and age-targeted injury prevention strategies should be initiated and implemented to mitigate the burden of child injuries and improve child safety and well-being.

The Risk Factors for Mortality among Septic Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using the National Trauma Data Bank.

Introduction: In trauma patients, the development of sepsis as a hospital complication is significantly associated with morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess the risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality among trauma patients who developed sepsis during their hospital stay. Material and methods. Using the 2017 National Trauma Data Bank, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify adult trauma patients who developed sepsis during their hospital stay. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality. Results: 1782 trauma patients developed sepsis. 567 patients (31.8%) died during their hospital stay. The following patient factors were associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality: age (OR = 1.045 95% CI = 1.036-1.054), chronic renal failure (OR = 2.564 95% CI = 1.528-4.301), and liver cirrhosis (OR = 3.699 95% CI = 2.267-6.033). Patients who developed cardiac arrest (OR = 4.994 95% CI = 3.381-7.378), acute kidney injury (OR = 3.808 95% CI = 2.837-5.110), acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR = 1.688 95% CI = 1.197-2.379), and stroke (OR = 1.998 95% CI = 1.075-3.714) during their hospital stay had higher odds of mortality. Higher Glasgow Coma Scale (13-15) at presentation was associated with lower odds of mortality (OR = 0.467 95% CI = 0.328-0.667). Conclusion: Among trauma patients who developed sepsis, age, chronic renal failure, cirrhosis, the development of cardiac arrest, acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and stroke in the hospital were associated with in-hospital mortality. These factors can be used to identify patients who are at higher risk of adverse outcomes and implement standardized or protocol-driven methods to improve patient care.

Impact of Trauma Center Designation Level on the Survival of Trauma Patients Transported by Police in the United States.

Background: Police involvement in trauma management and transport is increasing in the US. Little is known about prehospital triage criteria and transport patterns used by Police Officers. In this study, we examined the impact of trauma designation level on the survival of trauma patients transported to trauma centers by police.Methods: We used the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) 2017 dataset in this retrospective observational study. Adult trauma patients transported by Police to Level I, II and III trauma centers were included. We performed a univariate analysis followed by a bivariate analysis. Finally, we carried out a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders to assess the impact of trauma level designation on outcomes of patients transported by Police.Results: A total of 2,788 patients were included. The majority of the patients were males (84.6%) between the ages of 16 and 55 with half of them being African American. Most had a mild GCS (13-15) (89.5%) and only 17.4% were recorded to have severe traumatic injuries with ISS ≥ 16. The most common trauma type was blunt trauma (61.4%) followed by penetrating injuries (32.2%) and burns (1.5%). Around half of injuries were the result of assault (49.4%) and 43.0% were unintentional. Head and neck injuries were most common (40.8%) followed by extremities (27.4%) and torso injuries (25.0%). Approximately half of the patients were admitted to floor bed/observation unit/step-down unit (50.7%) while 18.9% and 19.8% went to the Operating Room or Intensive Care Unit respectively. Overall survival to hospital discharge was 93.2%. Survival was 91.6% in Level I, 98.2% in level II and 98.7% in Level III centers. After adjusting for significant confounders, survival to hospital discharge was similar for patients transported by police to level II and III trauma centers in comparison to those transported to level I (OR = 0.866 95%CI (0.321-2.333); p = 0.776).Conclusion: Transport of trauma patients by police to trauma centers of different designation levels was not associated with survival in this study. Survival was also similar to other trauma studies. As such, trauma patients may be safely transported by Police to closest trauma designated center without affecting outcomes.

Comparing the demographic data and outcomes of septic shock patients presenting to teaching or non-teaching metropolitan hospitals in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Studies looking at the effect of hospital teaching status on septic shock related in-hospital mortality are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of hospital teaching status on mortality in septic shock patients in the United States. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study, using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample Database (released in 2018). All patients with septic shock were included. Complex sample logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of hospital teaching status on patient mortality. RESULTS: A total of 388,552 septic shock patients were included in the study. The average age was 66.93 years and 51.7% were males. Most of the patients presented to metropolitan teaching hospitals (68.2%) and 31.8% presented to metropolitan non-teaching hospitals. Septic shock patients presenting to teaching hospitals were found to have a higher percentage of medical comorbidities, were more likely to be intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation (50.5% vs. 46.9%) and had a longer average length of hospital stay (12.47 d vs. 10.20 d). Septic shock patients presenting to teaching hospitals had greater odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those presenting to metropolitan non-teaching hospitals (adjusted odd ratio [OR]=1.295, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.256-1.335). CONCLUSION: Septic shock patients presenting to metropolitan teaching hospitals had significantly higher risks of mortality than those presenting to metropolitan non-teaching hospitals. They also had higher rates of intubation and mechanical ventilation as well as longer lengths of hospital stay than those in non-teaching hospitals.

Factors associated with survival in adult patients with traumatic arrest: a retrospective cohort study from US trauma centers.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic arrests increasingly affect young adults worldwide with low reported survival rates. This study examines factors associated with survival (to hospital discharge) in traumatic arrests transported to US trauma centers. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the US National Trauma Databank 2015 dataset and included patients who presented to trauma centers with "no signs of life". Univariate and bivariate analyses were done. Factors associated with survival were identified using multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: The study included 5980 patients with traumatic arrests. Only 664 patients (11.1%) survived to hospital discharge. Patients were predominantly in age group 16-64 (84.6%), were mostly males (77.8%) and white (55.1%). Most were admitted to Level I (55.5%) or Level II trauma centers (31.6%). Injuries were mostly blunt (56.7%) or penetrating (39.3%). The median of the injury severity score (ISS) was 19 (interquartile range [IQR]: 9-30). Factors associated with decreased survival included: Age group ≥ 65 (Ref: 16-24), male gender, self-inflicted and other or undetermined types of injuries (Ref: assault), injuries to head and neck, injuries to torso and ISS ≥ 16 (Ref: < 16) and ED thoracotomy. While factors associated with increased survival included: All injury mechanisms (with the exception of motor vehicle transportation) (Ref: firearm), injuries to extremities or spine and back and all methods of coverage (Ref: self-pay). CONCLUSION: Patients with traumatic arrests have poor outcomes with only 11.1% surviving to hospital discharge. Factors associated with survival in traumatic arrests were identified. These findings are important for devising injury prevention strategies and help guide trauma management protocols to improve outcomes in traumatic arrests. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Association between Mode of Transportation and Survival in Adult Trauma Patients with Blunt Injuries: Matched Cohort Study between Police and Ground Ambulance Transport.

INTRODUCTION: Early police transport (PT) of penetrating trauma patients has the potential to improve survival rates for trauma patients. There are no well-established guidelines for the transport of blunt trauma patients by PT currently. STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study examines the association between the survival rate of blunt trauma patients and the transport modality (police versus ground ambulance). METHODS: A retrospective, matched cohort study was conducted using the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). All blunt trauma patients transported by police to trauma centers were identified and matched (one-to-four) to patients transported by ground Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for analysis. Descriptive analysis was carried out. This was followed by comparing all patients' characteristics and their survival rates in terms of the mode of transportation. RESULTS: Out of the 2,469 patients with blunt injuries, EMS transported 1,846 patients and police transported 623 patients. Most patients were 16-64 years of age (86.2%) with a male predominance (82.5%). Fall (38.4%) was the most common mechanism of injury with majority of injuries involving the head and neck body part (64.8%). Fractures were the most common nature of injury (62.1%). The overall survival rate of adult blunt trauma patients was similar for both methods of transportation (99.2%; P = 1.000). CONCLUSION: In this study, adult blunt trauma patients transported by police had similar outcomes to those transported by EMS. As such, PT in trauma should be encouraged and protocolized to improve resource utilization and outcomes further.

Seasonal variation in incidence and outcomes of out of hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective national observational study in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a leading cause of mortality among adults in the United States. Environmental impact on incidence and outcomes of OHCA has not been fully investigated in recent years. Previous studies showed a possible increase in incidence and mortality in winter season and during seasons with temperature extremes. This study examines seasonal variation in incidence and outcomes of OHCA in the United States.Retrospective study of adult OHCA using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample was carried out. Monthly incidence rate per 100,000 ED presentations was calculated. Survival rates for each month of admission were examined by hospital region. Multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the effect of the season and month of admission on survival.A total of 122,870 adult OHCA cases presented to emergency departments (EDs) in 2014 and were included. Average incidence of OHCA cases was 147 per 100,000 ED presentations. Overall survival rate in the study population was 5.6% (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 5.4%-5.9%). Patients had an average age of 65.5 (95% CI: 65.3-65.7) years and were mainly men (61.8%). Rates of OHCA presentations were highest during December and January (9.9% and 10.0%) while survival rates were lowest during December (4.6%) and highest in June (6.9%). Regional variation in OHCA outcomes was also noted with highest average survival rate in West (7.8%) and lowest in South (4.3%). After adjusting for confounders including region of hospital, Summer season (Ref: all other seasons), and more specifically month of June (Ref: all other months) were found to be positively associated with survival (OR 1.27, 95% CI [1.07-1.52], P-value = .008) and (OR 1.43, 95% CI [1.08-1.89], P-value = .012 respectively).Incidence and outcomes of out of hospital cardiac arrest presentations to the emergency departments in the United States have seasonal variation. Both incidence and mortality of OHCA increase during colder months, and survival is significantly higher in summer season or in June. Exploring how to use this variation to improve outcomes through refresher training of medical providers or through other mitigation plans is needed.

Patterns and Predictors of Firearm-related Spinal Cord Injuries in Adult Trauma Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Firearm-related spinal cord injuries are commonly missed in the initial assessment as they are often obscured by concomitant injuries and emergent trauma management. These injuries, however, have a significant health and financial impact. The objective of this study was to examine firearm-related spinal cord injuries and identify predictors of presence of such injuries in adult trauma patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined adult trauma patients (≥16 years) with injuries from firearms included in the 2015 United States National Trauma Data Bank. We performed descriptive and bivariate analyses and compared two groups: patients with no spinal cord injury (SCI) or vertebral column injury (VCI); and patients with SCI and/or VCI. Predictors of SCI and/or VCI in patients with firearm-related injuries were identified using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 34,898 patients who sustained a firearm-induced injury. SCI and/or VCI were present in 2768 (7.9%) patients. Patients with SCI and/or VCI had more frequently severe injuries, higher Injury Severity Score (ISS), lower mean systolic blood pressure, and lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The mortality rate was not significantly different between the two groups (14.7%, N = 407 in SCI and/or VCI vs 15.0%, N = 4,811 in no SCI or VCI group). Significant general positive predictors of presence of SCI and/or VCI were as follows: university hospital; assault; public or unspecified location of injury; drug use; air medical transport; and Medicaid coverage. Significant clinical positive predictors included fractures, torso injuries, blood vessel or internal organ injuries, open wounds, mild (13-15) and moderate GCS scores (9 - 12), and ISS ≥ 16. CONCLUSION: Firearm-induced SCI and/or VCI injuries have a high burden on affected victims. The identified predictors for the presence of SCI and/or VCI injuries can help with early detection, avoiding management delays, and improving outcomes. Further studies defining the impact of each predictor are needed.

The Weekend Effect in Septic Shock Patients Using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample Database.

BACKGROUND: The weekend effect is the increased mortality in hospitalized patients admitted on the weekend. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of weekend admissions on septic shock patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study of the 2014 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample Database. Septic shock patients were included in this study using ICD-9-CM codes. Descriptive analysis was done, in addition to bivariate analysis to compare variables based on admission day. Multivariate analysis was conducted to examine the association between admission day and mortality in septic shock patients after adjusting for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: A total of 364,604 septic shock patients were included in this study. The average age was 67.19 years, and 51.1% were males. 73.0% of patients presented on weekdays. 32.3% of septic shock patients died during their hospital stay. After adjusting for confounders, there was no significant difference in the emergency department or in-hospital mortality of septic shock patients admitted on the weekend compared with those admitted during weekdays, (OR = 1.00 [95% CI: 0.97-1.03], P value = 0.985). CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference in overall mortality between septic shock patients admitted on the weekend or weekday. Our results are contradictory to previous studies showing an increased mortality with the weekend effect. The previous observations that have been made may not stand up with current treatment protocols.

Association Between Mode of Transportation and Outcomes in Penetrating Trauma Across Different Prehospital Time Intervals: A Matched Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: National guidelines do not provide recommendations concerning optimal dispatch time for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) in the United States. OBJECTIVES: This study describes the association between mode of transport (ground vs. helicopter) and survival of patients with penetrating injury across different prehospital time intervals and proposes evidence-based time-related dispatch criteria for HEMS. METHODS: A retrospective matched cohort study was conducted using the 2015 National Trauma Data Bank. Adult patients (age ≥ 16 years) with penetrating injuries were included. Patients transported via HEMS were selected and matched (1 to 1) for 17 variables to patients transported by ground ambulance (GEMS). Bivariate analyses were conducted to compare characteristics and outcomes (survival to hospital discharge) of patients across different prehospital time intervals. RESULTS: Each group consisted of 949 patients. Overall survival rate was similar in both groups (90.6% for HEMS vs. 87.9% for GEMS, p = 0.054). Patients transported by HEMS had significantly higher survival compared with those transported by GEMS (92.5% for HEMS vs. 87.0% for GEMS, p = 0.002) in the 0-60-min time interval from dispatch to arrival to hospital, and more specifically, in the 31-60-min interval (92.2% vs. 85.2%, p = 0.001). No difference in survival between the two groups was observed in the shortest (0-30 min) or in the extended prehospital time intervals (>60 min). CONCLUSION: In adult patients with penetrating trauma, HEMS transport was associated with improved survival in a specific total prehospital time interval (31 to 60 min). This finding can help emergency medicine service administrators develop evidence-based HEMS dispatch criteria.

The Pediatric Disease Spectrum in an Emergency Department at a Tertiary Care Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the most common diagnoses for pediatric emergency department (ED) visits at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (aged ≤18 years) presenting to the American University of Beirut Medical Center ED during 2010-2011 was completed. The common diagnoses among 5 age groups (<1, 1-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) in 3 categories (all pediatric ED visits, treat and release, admitted visits) were assessed. Diagnoses were classified according to the Clinical Classifications Software. Descriptive statistics and Pearson χ2 test were used. RESULTS: A total of 12,637 pediatric ED visits were included. The majority (90.2%) were among the treat-and-release group. The mean age for all patients was 7.2 years, 57.1% of whom were males. The top 5 most common diagnoses for all ED visits included fever of unknown origin, external injuries, upper respiratory tract infections, open wounds, and abdominal pain. Cardiac conditions were the most common reason for admission in children younger than 1 year, intestinal infection among 1 to 4 years old, pneumonia among 5 to 9 years old, and appendicitis among 10 to 14 and 15 to 18 years. Seasonal analysis showed fever of unknown origin to be the most common diagnosis across all seasons. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to assess pediatric ED visits in a Lebanese setting. The top most common reason was communicable diseases, with fever of unknown origin being the most common reason for all visits, contrary to North America where injury and poisoning are the most common. Noncommunicable diseases (cardiac, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and appendicitis) were common reasons for admission in different age groups.

Factors Associated with Survival in Adult Trauma Patients Transported to US Trauma Centers by Police.

INTRODUCTION: Police units often reach the trauma scene before Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Initiatives aiming at delivering early basic trauma care by non-medical providers including police personnel are on the rise. This study describes characteristics of trauma patients transported by police to US hospitals and identifies factors associated with survival in this patient population. METHODS: Using the 2015 National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB), an observational study was conducted of adult trauma patients who were transported by police. After describing the study population, the factors associated with survival to hospital discharge were evaluated using a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2,394 patients were included in the study. Patients had a median age of 34.0 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 25-48) and most were males (84.5%). Blunt trauma mechanism (59.4%) was more common than penetrating trauma (29.4%). Factors associated with improved survival included: comorbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.92; 95% CI, 1.33-6.40); use of drugs (OR = 2.91; 95% CI, 1.07-7.92); cut/pierce (OR = 11.07; 95% CI, 2.10-58.43); motor vehicle traffic (MVT) mechanism (OR = 6.56; 95% CI, 1.60-26.98); trauma resulting in fractures (OR = 3.03; 95% CI, 1.38-6.64); and private/commercial insurance (OR = 3.41; 95% CI, 1.10-10.55). CONCLUSION: In this study population, a relatively high survival rate was noted (93.5%). Police transport of patients with blunt trauma was unexpectedly more common. Factors associated with survival to hospital discharge were identified. These factors can be used to implement more standardized and protocol-driven risk stratification tools of trauma patients on scene to improve police involvement in trauma patient transport.