Dataset Information

The influence of inter-hospital transfers on mortality in severely injured patients.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The importance of treating severely injured patients in higher-level trauma centers is undisputable. However, it is uncertain whether severely injured patients that were initially transported to a lower-level trauma center (i.e., undertriage) benefit from being transferred to a higher-level trauma center.

Methods

This observational study included all severely injured patients (i.e., Injury Severity Score ≥ 16) that were initially transported to a lower-level trauma center within eight ambulance regions. The exposure of interest was whether a patient was transferred to a higher-level trauma center. Primary outcomes were 24-h and 30-day mortality. Generalized linear models including inverse probability weights for several potential confounders were constructed to evaluate the association between transfer status and mortality.

Results

We included 165,404 trauma patients that were transported with high priority to a trauma center, of which 3932 patients were severely injured. 1065 (27.1%) patients were transported to a lower-level trauma center of which 322 (30.2%) were transferred to a higher-level trauma center. Transferring undertriaged patients to a higher-level trauma center was significantly associated with reduced 24-h (relative risk [RR] 0.26, 95%-CI 0.10-0.68) and 30-day mortality (RR 0.65, 0.46-0.92). Similar results were observed in patients with critical injuries (24-h: RR 0.35, 0.16-0.77; 30-day: RR 0.55, 0.37-0.80) and patients with traumatic brain injury (24-h: RR 0.31, 0.11-0.83; 30-day: RR 0.66, 0.46-0.96).

Conclusions

A minority of the undertriaged patients are transferred to a higher-level trauma center. An inter-hospital transfer appears to be safe and may improve the survival of severely injured patients initially transported to a lower-level trauma center.

SUBMITTER: Waalwijk JF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9925487 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The influence of inter-hospital transfers on mortality in severely injured patients.

Waalwijk Job F JF Lokerman Robin D RD van der Sluijs Rogier R Fiddelers Audrey A A AAA den Hartog Dennis D Leenen Luke P H LPH Poeze Martijn M van Heijl Mark M

European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society 20220901 1

<h4>Purpose</h4>The importance of treating severely injured patients in higher-level trauma centers is undisputable. However, it is uncertain whether severely injured patients that were initially transported to a lower-level trauma center (i.e., undertriage) benefit from being transferred to a higher-level trauma center.<h4>Methods</h4>This observational study included all severely injured patients (i.e., Injury Severity Score ≥ 16) that were initially transported to a lower-level trauma center ...[more]

PMID: 36048180

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Project description:ObjectiveTo examine sociodemographic predictors of trauma center (TC) transport of severely injured older adults.Data sourcesThe data source was the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, New York Inpatient Database (2014).Study designThis study was a secondary analysis of injured older adults. Key sociodemographic variables were age, gender, race/ethnicity, median household income, and primary payer. Confounding variables were injury severity, geographic location, number of chronic conditions, and injury mechanism. The outcome variable was TC transport.Data collection/extraction methodsThe database was filtered on the following criteria: age =/> 55 years, primary diagnosis of injury (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM], 800.0-957.9, excluding poisoning, late effects, and interfacility transfers), admitted to an acute care hospital in New York.Principal findingsRecords of 33 696 patients were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that all variables were statistically significant predictors of TC transport except primary payer. Predictors of TC transport were as follows: higher injury severity (OR 2.1, CI 1.79-2.46; 3.39, CI 2.85-4.05); Asian/Pacific and Hispanic race/ethnicity (OR 2.51, CI 1.92-3.27; OR 1.1, CI 0.86-1.42), highest median household income (OR 1.24, CI 1.01-1.52), high population density (OR 1.32, CI 1.12-1.55; OR 3.2, CI 2.68-2.83), and vehicle crashes (OR 3.39, CI 2.79-4.11). Predictors of non-TC transport were as follows: older age groups (OR 0.92, CI 0.76-1.11; OR 0.79, CI 0.64-0.96; OR 0.77, CI 0.63-0.95), females (OR 0.65, CI 0.57-0.74), Black and "other" race (OR 0.75, CI 0.0.56-1.0; OR 0.96, CI 0.77-1.20), lower median household income (OR 0.76, CI 0.62-0.93; OR 0.86, CI 0.71-1.05), low population density (OR 0.96, CI 0.67-1.36; OR 0.89, CI 0.53-1.51), and number of chronic conditions (OR 0.89, CI 0.87-0.91).ConclusionsSociodemographic factors are a source of disparity for access to TCs. Further research is needed to confirm bias and test bias reduction strategies. Comprehensive education and policies are needed to reduce disparities in access to trauma care.

Dataset Information

The influence of inter-hospital transfers on mortality in severely injured patients.

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

The influence of inter-hospital transfers on mortality in severely injured patients.

Similar Datasets

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