Vital sign based shock scores are poor at triaging South African trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic shock cannot be diagnosed by a single physiological measurement and a number of vital sign based combined shock scores (CSS) have been proposed to identify and triage trauma patients with shock. This audit uses data from a prospectively entered electronic trauma registry to compare the ability of these CSS to predict in-hospital mortality, need for surgery, need for blood transfusion and ICU admission. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data used in the study was obtained from the Hybrid Electronic Medical Record (HEMR) in Pietermaritzburg from January 2012-September 2015. The calculated scores (Systolic Blood Pressure [SBP], Mean Arterial Pressure [MAP], Shock Index [SI], Modified Shock Index [MSI] and Shock Index multiplied by Age [SIA]) were plotted against each outcome parameter and the inflection points at which they started to increase, for each parameter, was determined and compared. RESULTS: A total of 8793 patients met the inclusion criteria. After the datasets with missing data were removed, a total of 7623 patients were available for analyses. There was a slightly higher incidence of blunt trauma (46%) compared to penetrating trauma (43%). Area under the Receiver Operating Curves (AUROC) for prediction of mortality revealed the MSI and SIA performed best, with values of 0.69 and 0.70, respectively. In both the 'need for ICU' prediction as well as the 'need for blood transfusion' prediction, MSI performed best with scores of 0.73 and 0.79, respectively. None of the parameters performed well in the 'need for surgery' prediction. None of the CSS parameters reached a 'good predictor capability' score of 0.8. CONCLUSION: The currently available vital sign based scores (SBP, MAP, SI, MSI, SIA) used in the prediction of shock severity and triage are not good predictors of mortality, need for ICU, need for theatre or need for blood transfusion in our population where half the trauma is penetrating and there are long pre-hospital delays. Our data suggests that none of the proposed CSS's are capable of reliably and accurately identifying and categorizing shock states in South African trauma patients.

Predicting postoperative haemoglobin changes after burn surgery.

BACKGROUND: Burn surgery is associated with significant blood loss and fluid shifts that cause rapid haemoglobin (Hb) changes during and after surgery. Understanding the relationship between intraoperative and postoperative (day 1) Hb changes may assist in avoiding postoperative anaemia and unnecessary peri-operative blood transfusion. OBJECTIVE: To describe the Hb changes into the first day after burn surgery and to identify factors predictive of Hb changes that would guide blood transfusion decisions. METHODS: This was a single-institution, retrospective cohort study that included 158 patients who had undergone burn surgery. Hb was measured at the start and end of surgery, and on the first day (16 - 32 hours) after surgery, and the results were analysed. Peri-operative factors (Hb at the end of surgery, total body surface area operated on (TBSA-op), fluid administration and intraoperative blood administration) were evaluated to determine their association with Hb changes on the first day after surgery. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) preoperative Hb was 10.6 (2.29) g/dL, the mean postoperative Hb was 9.4 (2.01) g/dL, and the mean Hb on the first day after surgery was 9.2 (2.19) g/dL. Median total burn surface area was 7% (interquartile range 9%, min. 1%, max. 45%), with a mean body surface area operated on (debridement area plus donor area) of 9.7%. Of the 158 patients, 26 (16%) had an Hb <7 g/dL (transfusion trigger) on the first day after surgery. For patients with a high (≥9 g/dL), intermediate (≥7 - <9 g/dL), or low (<7 g/dL) Hb measurement at the end of burn surgery, those with an Hb below the transfusion trigger on the first day after burn surgery were 0%, 27%, and 75%, respectively. End-of-surgery Hb and TBSA-op strongly predicted the first day Hb level. In the intermediate group, 55% of patients with a TBSA-op ≥11% had an Hb below the transfusion trigger on the first day after surgery. CONCLUSION: Hb at the end of burn surgery was the best predictor of Hb on the first day after surgery. Patients with an Hb <7 g/dL remained as such on the first postoperative day. Half of the patients with an end-of-surgery Hb ≥7 - <9 g/dL and who had ≥11% TBSA-op had an Hb <7 g/dL on the first postoperative day.

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of preoperative surgical safety checklists to improve perioperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Meta-analyses of the implementation of a surgical safety checklist (SSC) in observational studies have shown a significant decrease in mortality and surgical complications. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of the SSC using data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: This meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42015017546). A comprehensive search of six databases was conducted using the OvidSP search engine. RESULTS: Four hundred and sixty-four citations revealed three eligible trials conducted in tertiary hospitals and a community hospital, with a total of 6 060 patients. All trials had allocation concealment bias and a lack of blinding of participants and personnel. A single trial that contributed 5 295 of the 6 060 patients to the meta-analysis had no detection, attrition or reporting biases. The SSC was associated with significantly decreased mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 - 0.85; p=0.0004; I2=0%) and surgical complications (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.57 - 0.71; p<0.00001; I2=0%). The efficacy of the SSC on specific surgical complications was as follows: respiratory complications RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.21 - 1.70; p=0.33, cardiac complications RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.28 - 1.95; p=0.54, infectious complications RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.29 - 1.27; p=0.18, and perioperative bleeding RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.23 - 0.56; p<0.00001. CONCLUSIONS: There is sufficient RCT evidence to suggest that SSCs decrease hospital mortality and surgical outcomes in tertiary and community hospitals. However, randomised evidence of the efficacy of the SSC at rural hospital level is absent.