The Association of Limited English Proficiency With Morbidity and Mortality After Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Disparities following traumatic injury by race/ethnicity and insurance status are well-documented. However, the relationship between limited English proficiency (LEP) and outcomes after trauma is poorly understood. This study describes the association between LEP and morbidity and mortality after traumatic injury. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult trauma patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center from 2012 to 2018. Morbidity (length of stay [LOS], intensive care unit admission, intensive care unit LOS, discharge destination) and in-hospital mortality for LEP and English proficient (EP) patients were compared using univariate and multivariable logistic and generalized linear models controlling for patient demographics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance) and clinical characteristics (mechanism, activation level, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, traumatic brain injury). RESULTS: Of the 13,104 patients, 16% were LEP patients. LEP languages included Chinese (44%) and Spanish (38%), and 18% categorized as "Other," including 33 languages. In multivariable models, LEP was statistically significantly associated with increased hospital LOS (P = 0.003) and increased discharge to home with home health services (P = 0.042) or to skilled nursing facility/rehabilitation (P = 0.006). Mortality rate was 7% for LEP versus 4% for EP patients (P < 0.0001). In multivariable analysis, speaking an LEP language other than Chinese or Spanish was statistically significantly associated with increased mortality compared to EP (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Following traumatic injury, LEP patients experience increased hospital LOS and are more frequently discharged to home with home health services or to skilled nursing facilities/rehabilitation. LEP patients speaking languages other than Chinese or Spanish experience increased mortality compared to EP patients.

Association of Race/Ethnicity With Substance Use Testing After Trauma: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Race/ethnicity has been strongly associated with substance use testing but little is known about this association in injured patients. We sought to identify trends and associations between race/ethnicity and urine toxicology (UTox) or Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) testing in a diverse population after trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of adult trauma patients admitted to a single Level-1 trauma center from 2012 to 2019. The prevalence of substance use testing was evaluated over time and analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression, with a subgroup analysis to evaluate the interaction of English language proficiency with race/ethnicity in the association of substance use testing. RESULTS: A total of 15,556 patients (40% White, 13% Black, 24% Latinx, 20% Asian, and 3% Native or Unknown) were included. BAC testing was done in 63.2% of all patients and UTox testing was done in 39.2%. The prevalence of substance use testing increased over time across all racial/ethnic groups. After adjustment, Latinx patients had higher odds of receiving a BAC test and Black patients had higher odds of receiving a UTox test (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively) compared to White patients. Asian patients had decreased odds of undergoing a UTox or BAC test compared to White patients (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Patients with English proficiency had higher odds of undergoing substance use testing compared to those with limited English proficiency (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an increase in substance use testing over time, inequitable testing remained among racial/ethnic minorities. More work is needed to combat racial/ethnic disparities in substance use testing.

Limited English Proficiency Associated With Suboptimal Pain Assessment in Hospitalized Trauma Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic injury causes significant acute and chronic pain, and accurate pain assessment is foundational to optimal pain control. Prior literature has revealed disparities in the treatment of pain by race and ethnicity, but the effect of patient language on pain assessment remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the relationship between Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in pain assessment frequency and pain score magnitude for hospitalized trauma patients. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study including all hospitalized adult trauma patients from 2012 to 2018 at a single urban Level-1 trauma center. Patient language, 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores, and demographic and clinical covariates were extracted from the electronic medical record. We used multivariable negative binomial regressions to compare NRS pain assessment frequency and multivariable linear regression to compare NRS pain score magnitude between LEP and English Proficient patients. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2018, 9754 English proficient and 1878 LEP patients were hospitalized for traumatic injury. In multivariable models adjusted for demographic and injury characteristics, LEP patients had 2.4 fewer pain assessments per day compared to English proficient patients (7.21 versus 9.61, P = 0.001). Excluding days spent in the ICU, LEP patients had 2.6 fewer assessments per day (9.28 versus 11.88, P = 0.001). Median pain scores were lower in the LEP group (2.2 versus 3.61, P < 0.001), with a difference of 1.19 points in adjusted multivariable models. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to English Proficient patients, LEP patients had fewer pain assessments and lower NRS scores. Differences in pain assessment by patient language may be associated with disparities in pain management and morbidity.

Inequity in discharge pain management for trauma patients with limited English proficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Pain management is critical for optimal recovery after trauma. Previous work at our institution revealed differences in pain assessment by patient language, which may impact management. This study aimed to understand differences in discharge opioid prescribing for trauma patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult trauma patients discharged to the community from a diverse, urban level 1 trauma center in 2018. Opioid prescriptions were obtained from discharge pharmacy records and converted to standard oral morphine equivalents (OMEs). Multivariable logistic and quantile regression was used to examine the relationship between LEP, opioid prescriptions, and OMEs at discharge, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Of 1,419 patients included in this study, 83% were English proficient (EP) and 17% were LEP. At discharge, 56% of EP patients received an opioid prescription, compared with 41% of LEP patients. In multivariable models, EP patients were 1.63 times more likely to receive any opioid prescription (95% CI, 1.17-2.25; p = 0.003). Mean OME was 147 for EP and 94 for LEP patients. In multivariable models, the difference between EP and LEP patients was 40 OMEs (95% CI, 21.10-84.22; p = 0.004). In adjusted quantile regression models, differences in total OMEs increased with the amount of OMEs prescribed. There was no difference in OMEs at the 20th and 40th percentile of total OMEs, but LEP patients received 26 fewer OMEs on average at the 60th percentile (95% CI, -3.23 to 54.90; p = 0.081) and 45 fewer OMEs at the 80th percentile (95% CI, 5.48-84.48; p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Limited English proficiency patients with traumatic injuries were less likely to receive any opioid prescription and were prescribed lower quantities of opiates, which could contribute to suboptimal pain management and recovery. Addressing these disparities is an important focus for future quality improvement efforts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Care Management, level IV.

Surviving traumatic injury, only to die of acute drug poisoning: Should trauma centers be a path for intervention?

BACKGROUND: Although death from drug overdose is a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, its incidence after traumatic incident is unknown. Moreover, little is known about related risk factors. We sought to determine the incidence and characteristics of and risk factors for trauma patients suffering death by acute drug poisoning ("overdose") after hospitalization for a traumatic incident. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all admitted trauma patients ≥18 y of age at the only level-1 trauma center in our region from 2012 to 2019, matched with unintentional overdose decedents from the California death registry. We assessed associations between demographic and clinical characteristics with risk of overdose death, using cumulative incidence functions and Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models. RESULTS: Of 9,860 patients residing in San Francisco, CA, USA, at the time of their trauma activation or admission during the study period, 1,418 died (4.3 per 100 person-years), 107 from unintentional overdose (0.3 per 100 person-years). Overdose decedents were 84% male, 50% white, with a mean age of 48 years at the time of presentation; 20% of deaths occurred within 3 months of hospitalization, and 40% were attributed to a prescription opioid. In multivariate analysis, younger age, male sex, white race, and having undergone a urine drug screening were all associated with subsequent death from overdose. CONCLUSION: During a mean 3.4-year follow-up, the mortality rate from overdose among adult patients with traumatic incidents was 0.3/100 person-years. Trauma hospitalization may serve as an opportunity to screen and initiate prevention, harm reduction, and treatment interventions.

A case of unexplained duodenal ulcer and massive gastrointestinal bleed.

A 73-year-old man was displaying symptoms of massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleed. Surgical actions were performed to control the bleed caused by an erosive duodenal ulcer with duodenal perforation. When investigating the culprit of this case, the pain medications prescribed two weeks prior by a traditional Chinese medicine doctor raised attention. The patient's admission serum sample and the pain medications from unknown sources were analyzed using a clinically validated liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method. The NSAIDs diclofenac, piroxicam, and indomethacin were identified, as well as some other synthetic drugs and natural products. The patient's concurrent exposure to multiple NSAIDs significantly increased the risk of upper GI complications. It is reasonable to argue that the high-dose use of the NSAIDs was a major cause of the duodenal ulcer and GI bleed. In addition, the identified natural products such as atropine and ephedrine have well-documented toxicities. It is important to increase the visibility of unregulated medications, and the capability to perform untargeted mass spectrometry analysis provides a unique diagnostic advantage in cases where exposure to toxic substances is possible.

Assessment of Heart Transplant Waitlist Time and Pre- and Post-transplant Failure: A Mixed Methods Approach.

BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, there have been increasingly long waiting times for heart transplantation. We studied the relationship between heart transplant waiting time and transplant failure (removal from the waitlist, pretransplant death, or death or graft failure within 1 year) to determine the risk that conservative donor heart acceptance practices confer in terms of increasing the risk of failure among patients awaiting transplantation. METHODS: We studied a cohort of 28,283 adults registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing heart transplant waiting list between 2000 and 2010. We used Kaplan-Meier methods with inverse probability censoring weights to examine the risk of transplant failure accumulated over time spent on the waiting list (pretransplant). In addition, we used transplant candidate blood type as an instrumental variable to assess the risk of transplant failure associated with increased wait time. RESULTS: Our results show that those who wait longer for a transplant have greater odds of transplant failure. While on the waitlist, the greatest risk of failure is during the first 60 days. Doubling the amount of time on the waiting list was associated with a 10% (1.01, 1.20) increase in the odds of failure within 1 year after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a relationship between time spent on the waiting list and transplant failure, thereby supporting research aimed at defining adequate donor heart quality and acceptance standards for heart transplantation.

Donor predictors of allograft use and recipient outcomes after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Despite a national organ-donor shortage and a growing population of patients with end-stage heart disease, the acceptance rate of donor hearts for transplantation is low. We sought to identify donor predictors of allograft nonuse, and to determine whether these predictors are in fact associated with adverse recipient post-transplant outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied a cohort of 1872 potential organ donors managed by the California Transplant Donor Network from 2001 to 2008. Forty-five percent of available allografts were accepted for heart transplantation. Donor predictors of allograft nonuse included age >50 years, female sex, death attributable to cerebrovascular accident, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a positive troponin assay, left-ventricular dysfunction and regional wall motion abnormalities, and left-ventricular hypertrophy. For hearts that were transplanted, only donor cause of death was associated with prolonged recipient hospitalization post-transplant, and only donor diabetes mellitus was predictive of increased recipient mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas there are many donor predictors of allograft discard in the current era, these characteristics seem to have little effect on recipient outcomes when the hearts are transplanted. Our results suggest that more liberal use of cardiac allografts with relative contraindications may be warranted.

Electrocardiographic characteristics of potential organ donors and associations with cardiac allograft use.

BACKGROUND: Current regulations require that all cardiac allograft offers for transplantation must include an interpreted 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). However, little is known about the expected ECG findings in potential organ donors or the clinical significance of any identified abnormalities in terms of cardiac allograft function and suitability for transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A single experienced reviewer interpreted the first ECG obtained after brain stem herniation in 980 potential organ donors managed by the California Transplant Donor Network from 2002 to 2007. ECG abnormalities were summarized, and associations between specific ECG findings and cardiac allograft use for transplantation were studied. ECG abnormalities were present in 51% of all cases reviewed. The most common abnormalities included voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy, prolongation of the corrected QT interval, and repolarization changes (ST/T wave abnormalities). Fifty-seven percent of potential cardiac allografts in this cohort were accepted for transplantation. Left ventricular hypertrophy on ECG was a strong predictor of allograft nonuse. No significant associations were seen among corrected QT interval prolongation, repolarization changes, and allograft use for transplantation after adjusting for donor clinical variables and echocardiographic findings. CONCLUSIONS: We have performed the first comprehensive study of ECG findings in potential donors for cardiac transplantation. Many of the common ECG abnormalities seen in organ donors may result from the heightened state of sympathetic activation that occurs after brain stem herniation and are not associated with allograft use for transplantation.

Screening for mental illness in a trauma center: rooting out a risk factor for unintentional injury.

BACKGROUND: Injury prevention and screening efforts have long targeted risk factors for injury recurrence. In a retrospective study, our group found that mental illness is an independent risk factor for unintentional injury and reinjury. The purpose of this study was to administer a standard validated screening instrument and psychosocial needs assessment to admitted patients who suffer unintentional injury. We aimed to prospectively measure the prevalence of mental illness. We hypothesize that systematic screening for psychiatric disorders in trauma patients is feasible and identifies people with preexisting mental illness as a high-risk group for unintentional injury. METHODS: In this prospective study, we recruited patients admitted to our Level I trauma center for unintentional injury for a period of 18 months. A bedside structured interview, including the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and a needs assessment were performed by lay research personnel trained by faculty from the Department of Psychiatry. The validated needs assessment questions were from the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule instrument. Psychiatric screening and needs assessment results, as well as demographic characteristics are reported as descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 1,829 people were screened during the study period. Of the 854 eligible people, 348 were able to be approached by researchers before discharge with a positive response rate of 63% (N = 219 enrolled). Interviews took 35 minutes ± 12 minutes. Chi-squared analysis revealed no difference in mechanism in those with mental illness versus no mental illness. Men were significantly more likely to be found to have a mental health disorder but when substance abuse was excluded, no difference was found. Four-way diagnostic grouping revealed the prevalence of mental illness detected. CONCLUSIONS: This inpatient pilot screening program prospectively identified preexisting mental illness as a risk factor for unintentional injury. Implementation of validated psychosocial and mental health screening instruments is feasible and efficient in the acute trauma setting. Administration of a validated mental health screening instrument can be achieved by training college-level research assistants. This system of screening can lead to identification and treatment of mental illness as a strategy for unintentional injury prevention.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the ß-adrenergic receptor genes are associated with lung allograft utilization.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary edema and associated impaired oxygenation are a major reason for rejection of donor lung allografts offered for transplantation. Clearance of pulmonary edema can be upregulated by stimulation of ß-adrenergic receptors (ßARs). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ßAR genes have functional effects in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that SNPs in ßAR genes would be associated with rates of utilization of donor lung allografts offered for transplantation. METHODS: Nine hundred fifty-one organ donors were genotyped for 4 amino-acid-coding SNPs in the ßAR genes. Lung allograft utilization was compared among donors stratified by genotypes. RESULTS: Utilization of donor lung allografts was 55% vs 35% (p = 0.02) among donors with GG vs AA/AG genotypes of the Ser49Gly SNP, 39% vs 32% (p = 0.04) with GG vs AA/AG genotype of Gly16Arg SNP and 37% vs 32% (p = 0.1) with CC vs GC/GG genotype of the Arg389Gly SNP. In the combined analysis, donors carrying 0 or 1 associated genotype had a utilization rate of 33%, whereas donors carrying 2 or 3 associated genotypes had utilization rates of 44% and 58%, respectively (p = 0.008). There was a stepwise decrease in chest radiograph infiltrates and an increase in partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO(2)/FIO(2)) with an increasing number of these associated genotypes. CONCLUSION: Genetic variants in the ßAR genes among organ donors are associated with higher rates of lung allograft utilization. The increased utilization may be related to increased clearance of pulmonary edema and improved oxygenation in donors with favorable genotypes and suggests that ßAR agonists may have a role in donor management.

Donor cardiac troponin I levels do not predict recipient survival after cardiac transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Serum levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) are frequently measured in the evaluation of potential heart donors. However, the utility of cTnI levels for predicting recipient outcomes remains controversial. This study was performed to determine whether donor cardiac cTnI levels exceeding 1.0 microg/liter are associated with adverse recipient outcomes. METHODS: All donors managed by the California Transplant Donor Network between January 2001 and July 2002 with consent for donor evaluation and at least 1 measured cTnI level were included in the study if 1-year recipient mortality data were available. Each study subject was classified as having elevated cTnI if any level exceeded 1.0 microg/liter. Donor variables, recipient risk of 30-day and 1-year mortality, and recipient need for mechanical circulatory support were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 263 potential donors were evaluated, and 98 had elevated cTnI levels. Of these potential donors, 139 were accepted for transplantation. The cTnI levels were normal in 96 and elevated in 43. Most donors (77%) with elevated cTnI levels had levels of less than 10 microg/liter. Donor cardiopulmonary resuscitation was associated with cTnI elevations. Donors with elevated cTnI levels did not require higher doses of inotropic drugs before transplantation and had similar hemodynamic profiles compared with donors with normal cTnI levels. Although there was a trend towards longer post-transplant hospitalization in recipients of grafts from donors with elevated cTnI levels (17 days vs 15 days, p = 0.044), there was no significant difference in the recipient need for mechanical circulatory support or 30-day and 1-year mortality between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a modestly elevated donor cTnI was not associated with a higher risk of recipient mortality or need for post-transplant mechanical circulatory support. A potential donor heart should not be discarded solely because the troponin level is elevated.

Aggressive management of lung donors classified as unacceptable: excellent recipient survival one year after transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: A dire shortage of lungs for transplantation exists. We hypothesized that aggressive organ procurement organization management of lungs usually rated as unacceptable (ratio of Pao(2) to inspired oxygen fraction <150) might make them acceptable for transplantation. We also hypothesized that lungs from donors who died of trauma could be used for transplantation with recipient survival comparable with that seen with lungs from donors who died of nontraumatic causes. METHODS: From January, 1, 1995, through August 31, 2000, a total of 194 donors resulted in 228 lung transplants. Of these, 27 donors were deemed unacceptable for lung transplantation according to organ procurement organization protocol. We used the California Transplant Donor Network database to conduct a retrospective review of all 194 donors, including the 27 supposedly unacceptable donors who were treated with invasive monitoring (central venous pressure), methylprednisolone, fluid restriction, inotropic agents, bronchoscopy, and diuresis. We evaluated survivals at 30 days and 1 year of patients who received lungs rated as unacceptable and acceptable. In addition, we compiled data on recipient survival for a subgroup of 122 recipients with lungs from donors who died of trauma and compared these data with those of recipients who received lungs from donors who died of nontraumatic causes to see whether the donor's death by trauma resulted in higher recipient mortality. RESULTS: After aggressive organ procurement organization management, ratios of Pao(2) to inspired oxygen fraction, central venous pressures, fluid balances, dopamine requirements, and chest radiographs of unacceptable donors according to organ procurement organization criteria were comparable with those of acceptable donors. There were no significant differences in recipient mortality between groups at 30 days or 1 year after transplantation. Moreover, no significant difference was found in mortalities of recipients who received lungs from donors who died of traumatic and nontraumatic causes. CONCLUSION: Aggressive organ procurement organization management of donors initially considered unacceptable may increase the number of lungs available for transplantation.