Factors associated with hospital admission after an emergency department treat and release visit for older adults with injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency Department (ED) visits for injury often precede hospital admissions in older adults, but risk factors for these admissions are poorly characterized. We sought to determine the incidence and risk factors for hospitalization shortly following discharge home from an ED visit for traumatic injury in older adults. We hypothesized higher risk for admission in those with increased age, discharged home after falls, with increased comorbidity burden, and who live in poor neighborhoods. METHODS: We identified all community-dwelling patients ≥65years old treated and released for traumatic injury at non-federal EDs in Florida using the 2011 State Inpatient Database and State ED Database of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Outcome measures were hospitalization within 9 and 30days of discharge from the ED. Multivariable logistic regression was used to establish independent risk factors for hospital admission. RESULTS: Of 163,851 index ED injury visits, 6298 (3.8%) resulted in inpatient admissions within 9days and 12,938 (7.9%) within 30days. Factors associated with increased odds of admission within 9days included: each additional comorbidity, ≥moderate injury to abdomen or pelvis/extremities, and median neighborhood income<$39,000. Additional factors associated with increased odds of admission within 30days included: lack of private insurance supplement and median neighborhood income<$48,000. CONCLUSION: Among older adults treated and discharged from the ED for an injury, those who have high comorbidity burdens, have abdominal or orthopedic injuries, and live in poor neighborhoods are at increased risk of hospitalization within 9 or 30days of ED discharge.

Age and preexisting conditions as risk factors for severe adverse events and failure to rescue after injury.

BACKGROUND: Failure to rescue (FTR: the conditional probability of death after complication) has been studied in trauma cohorts, but the impact of age and preexisting conditions (PECs) on risk of FTR is not well known. We assessed the relationship between age and PECs on the risk of experiencing serious adverse events (SAEs) subsequent FTR in trauma patients with the hypothesis that increased comorbidity burden and age would be associated with increased FTR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis at an urban level 1 trauma center in Pennsylvania. All patients aged ≥16 y with minimum Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥2 from 2009 to 2013 were included. Univariate logistic regression models for SAE and FTR were developed using age, PECs, demographics, and injury physiology. Variables found to be associated with the end point of interest (P ≤ 0.2) in univariate analysis were included in separate multivariable logistic regression models for each outcome. RESULTS: SAE occurred in 1136 of 7533 (15.1 %) patients meeting inclusion criteria (median age 42 [interquartile range 26-59], 53% African-American, 72% male, 79% blunt, median ISS 10 [interquartile range 5-17]). Of those who experienced an SAE, 129 of 1136 patients subsequently died (FTR = 11.4%). Development of SAE and FTR was associated with age ≥ 70 y (odds ratio 1.58-1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.82). Renal disease was the only preexisting condition associated with both SAE and FTR. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma patients with renal disease are mostly at increased risk for both SAE and FTR, but other PECs associated with SAE are not necessarily those associated with FTR. Future interventions designed to reduce FTR events should target this high-risk cohort.

Physicians in Myanmar Provide Palliative Care Despite Limited Training and Low Confidence in Their Abilities.

Background: Patients in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) have limited access to palliative care providers. In Myanmar, little is known about physician knowledge of or perceptions about palliative care. An assessment of physician practice and capacity to provide palliative care is needed. Objective: Our objective was to identify physician practice patterns, knowledge gaps, and confidence in providing palliative and end-of-life care in Myanmar. Design: This was a cross-sectional survey study. Setting/Subjects: Participants were physicians practicing in Myanmar who attended the Myanmar Emergency Medicine Updates Symposium on November 10 to 11, 2018 in Yangon, Myanmar (n = 89). Measurements: The survey used modified Likert scales to explore four aspects of palliative care practice and training: frequency of patient encounters, confidence in skills, previous training, and perceived importance of formal training. Results: Study participants were young (median age 27 years old); 89% cared for terminally ill patients monthly, yet 94% reported less than two weeks of training in common palliative care domains. Lack of training significantly correlated with lack of confidence in providing care. Priorities for improving palliative care services in Myanmar include better provider training and medication access. Conclusions: Despite limited training and low confidence in providing palliative care, physicians in Myanmar are treating patients with palliative needs on a monthly basis. Future palliative care education and advocacy in Myanmar and other LMICs could focus on physician training to improve end-of-life care, increase physician confidence, and reduce barriers to medication access.

Detection of Type B Aortic Dissection in the Emergency Department with Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a rare, time-sensitive, and potentially fatal condition that can present with subtle signs requiring timely diagnosis and intervention. Although definitive diagnosis is most accurately made through computed tomography angiography, this can be a time-consuming study and the patient may be unstable, thus preventing the study's completion. Chest radiography (CXR) signs of AD are classically taught yet have poor diagnostic reliability. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly used by emergency physicians for the rapid diagnosis of emergent conditions, with multiple case reports illustrating the sonographic signs of AD. We present a case of Stanford type B AD diagnosed by POCUS in the emergency department in a patient with vague symptoms, normal CXR, and without aorta dilation. A subsequent review of CXR versus sonographic signs of AD is described.

Failure to Rescue after Infectious Complications in a Statewide Trauma System.

BACKGROUND: The failure to rescue (FTR) rate, the rate of death after a complication, measures a center's ability to identify and manage complications by "rescuing" vulnerable patients. Infectious complications are common after trauma, but risk factors for death after infection are not established. We hypothesized that risk factors would differ for FTR after infectious complications, development of infections, and for development of and death after non-infectious complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed trauma registry data for adult patients admitted to all 30 level I and II Pennsylvania trauma centers, 2011-2014. We used multivariable regression to identify risk factors for infection, non-infectious complications, failure to rescue after infection (FTR-I), failure to rescue after non-infectious complications (FTR-N), and death. We compared secondary complication patterns among patients with an index infection. RESULTS: Of 95,806 admitted patients, at least one complication developed in 11.2%. Among these, 33.6% had an infection as the first complication. Mortality rates were 3.7% overall, 2.8% in patients with no complications, 7.2% after infection, and 13.5% after non-infectious complications. Urinary tract infection was the most common infection (41.7%), followed by pneumonia (37.5%) and wound infection (6.9%). Risk factors for infection included higher injury severity score (ISS), poor admitting physiology, female gender, cirrhosis, dementia, history of stroke, and drug abuse. Factors associated with FTR-I included male gender (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1-1.2), older age (OR 1.04, 1.03-1.05), increased ISS, cirrhosis, chronic renal insufficiency, and use of anticoagulation or steroids. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious complications are common in trauma patients and are an important component of FTR. Risk factors for infection and FTR-I differ and may help identify patients who may benefit from close surveillance and early intervention. Half of all FTR deaths were preceded by only a single complication, highlighting that management of this index complication, along with any secondary complications, may be a fruitful area for intervention.

Where We Fail: Location and Timing of Failure to Rescue in Trauma.

Failure to rescue (FTR) is an outcome metric that reflects a center's ability to prevent mortality after a major complication. Identifying the timing and location of FTR events could help target efforts to reduce FTR rates. We sought to characterize the timing and location of FTR occurrences at our center, hypothesizing that FTR rates would be highest early after injury and in settings of lower intensity of care. We used data, prospectively collected from 2009 to 2013, on patients ≥16 years old with minimum Abbreviated Injury Score ≥2 from a single institution. Major complications (per Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation definitions), mortality, and FTR rates were examined by location [prehospital, emergency department, operating room, intensive care unit (ICU), and interventional radiology] and by day post admission. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-squared tests were used to compare variables (P = 0.05). Major complications occurred in 899/6150 (14.6%) of patients [median age: 42, interquartile range (IQR): 25-57; 56% African American, 73% male, 76% blunt; median Injury Severity Score: 10, IQR: 5-17]. Of 899, 111 died (FTR = 12.4%). Compared with non-FTR cases, FTR cases had earlier complications (median day 1 (IQR: 0-4) versus 5 (IQR: 2-8), P < 0.001). FTR rates were highest in the prehospital (55%), emergency department (38%), and operating room (36%) settings, but the greatest number of FTR cases occurred in the ICU (52/111, 47%). FTR rates were highest early after injury, but the majority of cases occurred in the ICU. Efforts to reduce institutional FTR rates should focus on complications that occur in the ICU setting.

Variation of Blunt Traumatic Injury with Age in Older Adults: Statewide Analysis 2011-14.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic injury is a leading cause of death and disability in adults ≥ 65 years old, but there are few epidemiological studies addressing this issue. The aim of this study was to assess how characteristics of blunt traumatic injuries in adults ≥ 65 vary by age. METHODS: Using data from the a single-state trauma registry, this retrospective cohort study examined injured patients ≥ 65 admitted to all Level I and Level II trauma centers in Pennsylvania between 2011 and 2014 (n=38,562). Patients were stratified by age into three subgroups (age 65-74; 75-84; ≥85). We compared demographics, injury, and system-level across groups. RESULTS: We found significant increases in the proportion of female gender, (48.6% vs. 58.7% vs. 67.7%), white race (89.1% vs. 92.6% vs. 94.6%), and non-Hispanic ethnicity (97.5% vs. 98.6% vs. 99.4%) across advancing age across age groups, respectively. As age increased, the proportion of falls (69.9% vs. 82.1% vs. 90.3%), in-hospital mortality (4.6% vs. 6.2% vs. 6.8%), and proportion of patients arriving to the hospital via ambulance also increased (73.6% vs. 75.8% vs. 81.1%), while median injury severity plateaued (9.0% all groups) and the proportion of Level I trauma alerts (10.6% vs. 8.2% vs. 6.7%) decreased. We found no trend between age and patient transfer status. The five most common diagnoses were vertebral fracture, rib fracture, head contusion, open head wound, and intracranial hemorrhage, with vertebral fracture and head contusion increasing with age, and rib fracture decreasing with age. CONCLUSION: In a large cohort of older adults with trauma (n= 38,000), we found, with advancing age, a decrease in trauma alert level, despite an increase in mortality and a decrease in demographic diversity. This descriptive study provides a framework for future research on the relationship between age and blunt traumatic injury in older adults.

Failure to rescue in trauma: Coming to terms with the second term.

INTRODUCTION: The failure to rescue (FTR) rate is the probability of death after a major complication and was defined in elective surgical cohorts. In elective surgery, the precedence rate (proportion of deaths preceded by major complications) approaches 100%, but recent studies in trauma report rates of only 20-25%. We hypothesised that use of high quality data would result precedence rates in higher than those derived from national datasets, and we further sought to characterise the nature of those deaths not preceded by major complications. METHODS: Prospectively collected data from 2006 to 2010 from a single level I trauma centre were used. Patients age >16 years with AIS ≥2 who survived beyond the trauma bay were included. Complications, mortality, FTR, and precedence rates were calculated. Chart abstraction was performed for registry deaths without recorded complications to verify the absence of complications and determine the cause of death, after which outcomes were re-calculated. RESULTS: A total of 8004 patients were included (median age 41 (IQR 25-75), 71% male, 82% blunt, median ISS 10 (IQR 5-18)). Using registry data the precedence rate was 55%, with 132/293 (45%) deaths occurring without antecedent major complications. On chart abstraction, 11/132 (8%) patients recorded in the registry as having no complication prior to death were found to have major complications. Complication and FTR rates after chart abstraction were statistically significantly different than those derived from registry data alone (complications 16.5% vs. 16.3, FTR 12.3 vs.13, p=0.001), but this difference was unlikely to be clinically meaningful. Patients dying without complications predominantly (87%) had neurologic causes of demise. CONCLUSIONS: Use of data with near-complete ascertainment of complications results in precedence rates much higher than those from national datasets. Patients dying without precedent complications at our centre largely succumbed to progression of neurologic injury. Attempts to use FTR to compare quality between centres should be limited to high quality data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III. RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY: Outcomes.

Infection after spanning external fixation for high-energy tibial plateau fractures: is pin site-plate overlap a problem?

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether overlap between temporary external fixator pins and definitive plate fixation correlates with infection in high-energy tibial plateau fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective chart and radiographic review. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Seventy-nine patients with unilateral high-energy tibial plateau fractures formed the basis of this report. INTERVENTION: Placement of knee-spanning external fixation followed by delayed internal fixation for high-energy tibial plateau fractures treated at our institution between 2000 and 2008. METHODS: Demographic patient information was reviewed. Radiographs were reviewed to assess for the presence of overlap between the temporary external fixator pins and the definitive plate fixation. Fisher exact and t test analyses were performed to compare those patients who had overlap and those who did not and were used to determine whether this was a factor in the development of a postoperative infection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Development of infection in those whose external fixation pin sites overlapped with the definitive internal fixation device compared with those whose pin sites did not overlap with definitive plate and screws. RESULTS: Six knees in six patients developed deep infections requiring serial irrigation and débridement and intravenous antibiotics. Of these six infections, three were in patients with closed fractures and three in patients with open fractures. Two of these six infections followed definitive plate fixation that overlapped the external fixator pin sites with an average of 4.2 cm of overlap. In the four patients who developed an infection and had no overlap, the average distance between the tip of the plate to the first external fixator pin was 6.3 cm. There was no correlation seen between infection and distance from pin to plate, pin-plate overlap distance, time in the external fixator, open fracture, classification of fracture, sex of the patient, age of the patient, or healing status of the fracture. CONCLUSION: Fears of definitive fracture fixation site contamination from external fixator pins do not appear to be clinically grounded. When needed, we recommend the use of a temporary external fixation construct with pin placement that provides for the best reduction and stability of the fracture, regardless of plans for future surgery.