Brian W. Gross

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Warfarin: A Lethal Combination in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid and omega-6 docosahexaenoic acid, found in over-the-counter fish oil supplements, are often consumed for their beneficial, prophylactic, anti-inflammatory effects. Although the mechanisms of action are not fully known, a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats may reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, hypertension, and inflammatory diseases. Masked by its many benefits, the risks of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation are often underappreciated, particularly its ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and promote bleeding in patients taking anticoagulant medications. The following details the clinical case of an elderly patient taking warfarin and fish oil supplementation whose warfarin-induced coagulopathy could not be reversed after suffering blunt head trauma.

Big Children or Little Adults? A Statewide Analysis of Adolescent Isolated Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes at Pediatric versus Adult Trauma Centers.

BACKGROUND The appropriate managing center for adolescent trauma patients is debated. We sought to determine whether outcome differences existed for adolescent severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) patients treated at pediatric versus adult trauma centers. We hypothesized that no difference in mortality, functional status at discharge (FSD), or overall complication rate would be observed between center types. METHODS All adolescent trauma patients (aged 15–17 years) presenting with isolated sTBI (head Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] score ≥3; all other AIS body region scores ⩽2) to accredited Levels I to II trauma centers in Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2015 were extracted from the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study database. Dead on arrival, transfer, and penetrating trauma patients were excluded from analysis. Adult trauma centers were defined as non-pediatirc (PED) (n = 24), whereas standalone pediatric hospitals and adult centers with pediatric affiliation were considered Pediatric (n = 9). Multilevel mixed effects logistic regression models and a generalized linear mixed models assessed the adjusted impact of center type on mortality, overall complications, and FSD. Significance was defined as a p value less than 0.05. RESULTS A total of 1,109 isolated sTBI patients aged 15 to 17 years presented over the 13-year study period (non-PED, 685; PED, 424). In adjusted analysis controlling for age, shock index, head AIS, Glasgow Coma Scale motor, trauma center level of managing facility, case volume of managing facility, and injury year, no significant difference in mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23–2.86; p = 0.754), FSD (coefficient, −0.85; 95% CI, −2.03 to 0.28; p = 0.136), or total complication rate (adjusted odds ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.43–3.39; p = 0.714) was observed between center types. CONCLUSION Although the optimal treatment facility for adolescent patients is frequently debated, patients aged 15 to 17 years presenting with isolated sTBI may experience similar outcomes when managed at pediatric and adult trauma centers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

An analysis of geriatric recidivism in the era of accountable care organizations.

BACKGROUND To date, there are almost 500 accountable care organizations (ACOs) across the United States emphasizing cost-effective care. Readmission largely impacts health care cost; therefore, we sought to determine factors associated with geriatric trauma readmissions (recidivism) within our institution. METHODS All admissions from 2000 to 2011 attributed to patients 65 years or older at our Level II trauma center, recently verified by Medicare as an ACO, were queried. Patients were classified as recidivist or nonrecidivist. The first admissions of recidivist patients were compared with the nonrecidivist admissions with respect to sex, age, race, primary insurance, admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, Injury Severity Score (ISS), hospital length of stay, mechanism of injury (MOI), preexisting conditions, and discharge destination. Factors found to be significant predictors of recidivism in univariate analyses were subsequently incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression model. In addition, the second admission’s MOI was compared with the first admission’s MOI, and the proportion of first, second, and third admissions attributed to falls was calculated. A p < 0.05 was significant. RESULTS Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 4,963 unique patients were admitted to the trauma center at 65 years or older. This population was composed of 287 recidivists (5.8%) and 4,676 nonrecidivists (94.2%). When placed in a multivariate logistic regression, female sex, admission GCS score of 15, history of head trauma, and preexisting pulmonary disease were identified as significant predictors of recidivism. A trend toward increasing proportion of injuries attributed to falls was found with each subsequent trauma admission (81.5% [234 of 287] of first admissions, 88.2% [253 of 287] of second admissions, and 90.5% [19 of 21] of third admissions). CONCLUSION Our study identifies specific factors that should be targeted by social service and prevention resources to inhibit recidivism in the elderly. In the brave new world of ACOs, trauma centers must identify high-risk populations for the consumption of limited resources. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Care management study, level IV. Prognostic study, level III.

A Preliminary Analysis of Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue With Considerations for Nursing Unit Specialization and Demographic Factors

Compassion fatigue (CF), or vicarious traumatization, is a state of physical/emotional distress that results from caring for those experiencing pain. We sought to characterize levels of CF in intensive care unit (ICU) and oncology nursing populations with subanalyses comparing specific personal/professional demographic factors. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale, a validated tool for assessing CF, burnout (BO), and compassion satisfaction (CS), was distributed to the ICU and oncology divisions of a community hospital. Demographic data and ProQOL scale scores were collected and compared within specialty and gender subgroups. Two-sample t tests and regression analyses were used to compare groups. Statistical significance was defined as p < .05. A total of 86 nurses submitted completed surveys able to be analyzed. Levels of CS were significantly lower (p = .023) and levels of BO were significantly higher (p = .029) in ICU nurses than in oncology nurses. Male nurses exhibited significantly higher CS (p = .001) and significantly lower BO (p = .021) and CF (p = .014) than female nurses. Intensive care unit nurses and female nurses from both ICU and oncology specialties may be at increased risk for developing a poorer overall ProQOL and CF.

Vena Cava Filter Use in Trauma and Rates of Pulmonary Embolism, 2003-2015

Importance Vena cava filter (VCF) placement for pulmonary embolism (PE) prophylaxis in trauma is controversial. Limited research exists detailing trends in VCF use and occurrence of PE over time. Objective To analyze state and nationwide temporal trends in VCF placement and PE occurrence from 2003 to 2015 using available data sets. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective trauma cohort study was conducted using data from the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study (PTOS) (461 974 patients from 2003 to 2015), the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) (5 755 095 patients from 2003 to 2014), and the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) (24 449 476 patients from 2003 to 2013) databases. Main Outcomes and Measures Temporal trends in VCF placement and PE rates, filter type (prophylactic or therapeutic), and established predictors of PE (obesity, pregnancy, cancer, deep vein thrombosis, major procedure, spinal cord paralysis, venous injury, lower extremity fracture, pelvic fracture, central line, intracranial hemorrhage, and blood transfusion). Prophylactic filters were defined as VCFs placed before or without an existing PE, while therapeutic filters were defined as VCFs placed after a PE. Results Of the 461 974 patients in PTOS, the mean (SD) age was 47.2 (26.4) and 61.6% (284 621) were men; of the 5 755 095 patients in NTDB, the mean age (SD) was 42.0 (24.3) and 63.7% (3 666 504) were men; and of the 24 449 476 patients in NIS, the mean (SD) age was 58.0 (25.2) and 49.7% (12 160 231) were men. Of patients receiving a filter (11 405 in the PTOS, 71 029 in the NTDB, and 189 957 in the NIS), most were prophylactic VCFs (93.6% in the PTOS, 93.5% in the NTDB, and 93.3% in the NIS). Unadjusted and adjusted temporal trends for the PTOS and NTDB showed initial increases in filter placement followed by significant declines (unadjusted reductions in VCF placement rates, 76.8% in the PTOS and 53.3% in the NTDB). The NIS demonstrated a similar unadjusted trend, with a slight increase and modest decline (22.2%) in VCF placement rates over time; however, adjusted trends showed a slight but significant increase in filter rates. Adjusted PE rates for the PTOS and NTDB showed significant initial increases followed by slight decreases, with limited variation during the declining filter use periods. The NIS showed an initial increase in PE rates followed by a period of stagnation. Conclusions and Relevance Despite a precipitous decline of VCF use in trauma, PE rates remained unchanged during this period. Taking this association into consideration, VCFs may have limited utility in influencing rates of PE. More judicious identification of at-risk patients is warranted to determine individuals who would most benefit from a VCF.

A bitter pill to swallow: dysphagia in cervical spine injury

BACKGROUND Dysphagia is a common complication after cervical spine trauma with spinal cord injury. We sought to characterize the prevalence of dysphagia within a total cervical spinal injury (CSI) population, considering the implications of spinal cord injury status and age on dysphagia development. We hypothesized that while greater rates of dysphagia would be found in geriatric and spinal cord-injured subgroups, all patients presenting with CSI would be at heightened risk for swallowing dysfunction. METHODS All trauma admissions to a level II trauma center from January 2010 to April 2014 with CSI were retrospectively reviewed. CSI was classified as any ligamentous or cervical spinous fracture with or without cord injury. Patients failing a formal swallow evaluation were considered dysphagic. The implications of dysphagia development on age and spinal cord injury status were assessed in univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS A total of 481 patients met study inclusion criteria, of which 123 (26%) developed dysphagia. Within the dysphagic subpopulation, 90 patients (73%) were geriatric, and 23 (19%) sustained spinal cord injury. The dysphagic subpopulation was predominantly free from spinal cord injury (81%). Multivariate analyses found age (adjusted odds ratio: 1.06; 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.07; P < 0.001) and spinal cord injury (adjusted odds ratio: 2.69; 95% confidence interval 1.30-5.56; P = 0.008) to be significant predictors of dysphagia development. CONCLUSIONS Despite spinal cord-injured patients being at increased risk for dysphagia, most of the dysphagic subpopulation was free from spinal cord injury. Geriatric and CSI patients with or without cord injury should be at heightened suspicion for dysphagia development.

An analysis of neurosurgical practice patterns and outcomes for serious to critical traumatic brain injuries in a mature trauma state.

BACKGROUND We sought to characterize trends in neurosurgical practice patterns and outcomes for serious to critical traumatic brain injuries from 2003 to 2013 in the mature trauma state of Pennsylvania. METHODS All 2003 to 2013 admissions to Pennsylvanias 30 accredited Level I to II trauma centers with serious to critical traumatic brain injuries (head Abbreviated Injury Scale [AIS] score ≥ 3, Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score < 13) were extracted from the state registry. Adjusted temporal trend tests controlling for demographic and injury severity covariates assessed the impact of admission year on intervention rates (craniotomy, craniectomy, and intracranial pressure monitor/ventriculostomy [ICP]) and outcome measures for the total population as well as serious (head AIS score ≥ 3; GCS score, 9–12) and critical (head AIS score ≥ 3, GCS score ⩽ 8) subgroups. RESULTS A total of 22,229 patients met inclusion criteria. Admission year was significantly associated with an adjusted increase in craniectomy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.12 [1.09–1.14]; p < 0.001) and ICP rates (AOR, 1.03 [1.02–1.04]; p < 0.001) and a decrease in craniotomy rate (AOR, 0.96 [0.95–0.97]; p < 0.001). No significant trends in adjusted mortality were found for the total study population (AOR, 1.01 [1.00–1.02]; p = 0.150); however, a significant reduction was found for the serious subgroup (AOR, 0.95 [0.92–0.98]; p = 0.002), and a significant increase was found for the critical subgroup (AOR, 1.02 [1.01–1.03]; p = 0.004). CONCLUSION Total study population trends showed a reduction in rates of craniotomy and increase in craniectomy and ICP rates without any change in outcome. Despite significant adaptations in neurosurgical practice patterns from 2003 to 2013, only patients with serious head injuries are experiencing improved survival. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic and epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

1157: DO MAGNET HOSPITALS ATTRACT BETTER OUTCOMES FOR PEDIATRIC TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY PATIENTS?

Crit Care Med 2015 • Volume 43 • Number 12 (Suppl.) Marfan syndrome on ECMO. Methods: Pediatric patients ≤18 yr of age with MFS in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry were included. The primary outcome of interest was death before hospital discharge. Between group comparisons (non Marfan patients (nonMFS) and Marfan patients) were performed using chi-square, t-test and fisher’s exact test. Results: Included were 19 patients with Marfan syndrome. ECMO use in patients with MFS has increased with all cases occurring after 1994. Compared to all pediatric ECMO patients (nonMFS, n=50,884 in ELSO registry) MFS patients had worse survival (MFS 21% vs. nonMFS 63%, p=0.001). More MFS patients were likely to be placed on ECMO for cardiac (74%) vs. respiratory failure (10%). In MFS patients no risk factors for mortality were identified. The most common complication was cardiovascular in 53% of patients. Conclusions: Marfan syndrome is an uncommon indication for ECMO survival with worse outcome than the overall ECMO population. Although limited by the small sample size these results should be factored in to decision making when considering ECMO for pediatric Marfan patients.

A novel approach to optimal placement of new trauma centers within an existing trauma system using geospatial mapping

BACKGROUND Trauma system expansion is a complex process often governed by financial and health care system imperatives. We sought to propose a new, informed approach to trauma system expansion through the use of geospatial mapping. We hypothesized that geospatial mapping set to specific parameters could effectively identify optimal placement of new trauma centers (TC) within an existing trauma system. METHODS We used Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation registry data of adult (age, ≥ 15 years) trauma for calendar years 2003 to 2015 (n = 408,432), hospital demographics, road networks, and US Census data files. We included TCs and zip codes outside of Pennsylvania to account for edge effects with trauma cases aggregated to the zip code centroid of residence. Our model assumptions included existing Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation Level I and II TCs, a maximum travel time of 60 minutes to the TC, capacity based on mean statewide ratios of trauma cases per hospital bed size, Injury Severity Score, candidate hospitals with 200 or more licensed beds and 30 minutes or longer or 15 minutes or longer from an existing TC in nonurban/urban areas, respectively. We used the Network Analyst Location-Allocation function in ArcGIS Desktop to generate spatial models. RESULTS Of the 130 candidate sites, only 14 met the bed size and travel time criteria from an existing TC. Approximately 70% of zip codes and 91% of cases were within 60 minutes of an existing TC. Adding one to six new optimally paced TCs increased to a maximum of 82% of zip codes and 96% of cases within 60 minutes of an existing TC. Changes to model assumptions had an impact on which candidate sites were selected. CONCLUSION Intelligent trauma system design should include an objective process like geospatial to determine the optimum locations for new TCs within existing trauma networks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiological study, level III.

Under-triage in Trauma: Does an Organized Trauma Network Capture the Major Trauma Victim? A Statewide Analysis

BACKGROUND Proper triage of critically injured trauma patients to accredited trauma centers (TCs) is essential for survival and patient outcomes. We sought to determine the percentage of patients meeting trauma criteria who received care at non-TCs (NTCs) within the statewide trauma system that exists in the state of Pennsylvania. We hypothesized that a substantial proportion of the trauma population would be undertriaged to NTCs with undertriage rates (UTR) decreasing with increasing severity of injury. METHODS All adult (age ≥15) hospital admissions meeting trauma criteria (ICD-9, 800–959; Injury Severity Score [ISS], > 9 or > 15) from 2003 to 2015 were extracted from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) database, and compared with the corresponding trauma population within the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) registry. PHC4 contains all hospital admissions within PA while PTSF collects data on all trauma cases managed at designated TCs (Level I-IV). The percentage of patients meeting trauma criteria who are undertriaged to NTCs was determined and Network Analyst Location-Allocation function in ArcGIS Desktop was used to generate geospatial representations of undertriage based on ISSs throughout the state. RESULTS For ISS > 9, 173,022 cases were identified from 2003 to 2015 in PTSF, while 255,263 cases meeting trauma criteria were found in the PHC4 database over the same timeframe suggesting UTR of 32.2%. For ISS > 15, UTR was determined to be 33.6%. Visual geospatial analysis suggests regions with limited access to TCs comprise the highest proportion of undertriaged trauma patients. CONCLUSION Despite the existence of a statewide trauma framework for over 30 years, approximately, a third of severely injured trauma patients are managed at hospitals outside of the trauma system in PA. Intelligent trauma system design should include an objective process like geospatial mapping rather than the current system which is driven by competitive models of financial and health care system imperatives. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiological study, level III; Therapeutic, level IV.