SARS-Co-V-2 positive status is associated with a more seriously injured population of trauma patients but not independently associated with worse outcomes of trauma care.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 positive status has been considered a predominantly incidental finding among trauma patients. We sought to examine whether concurrent infection is associated with worse outcomes in a contemporary cohort of injured patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis of a level I trauma center's institutional registry from May 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The prevalence of COVID in the trauma population was compared monthly using prevalence ratios relative to population estimates. Unadjusted cohorts of COVID+ vs COVID- trauma patients were compared. COVID+ patients then were matched on age, mechanism of injury, year, and injury severity score (ISS) with COVID- controls for adjusted analysis with a primary composite outcome of mortality. RESULTS: Out of n=2,783 trauma activations, n=51 (1.8%) were COVID+. Compared to the general population, the trauma population had prevalence ratios for COVID of 5.3 to 79.7 (median=20.8). Compared to COVID- patients, COVID+ patients had worse outcomes, including a higher proportion who were admitted to the ICU, required intubation, underwent a major operation, and had greater total charges and a longer length of stay. However, these differences appeared related to more severe injury patterns in the COVID+ cohort. In the adjusted analysis, no significant differences between groups in any of the outcome variables were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Worse trauma outcomes in COVID+ patients appear to be correlated to the more substantial patterns of injury observed in this group. Trauma patients have substantially higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity than the local population at large. These results reinforce that this population is vulnerable to multiple threats. They will guide the ongoing delivery of care in shaping the needs for testing, PPE for those delivering care, and the capacity and operational needs of trauma systems that must care for a population with such high rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pregnant trauma patients may be at increased risk of mortality compared to nonpregnant women of reproductive age: trends and outcomes over 10 years at a level I trauma center.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy has been identified as a risk factor for poor outcomes after traumatic injury, but prior outcome analyses are conflicting and dated. We sought to examine outcomes in a contemporary cohort. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis at a level I trauma center's institutional registry from 2009 to 2018, with comparison to population-level demographic trends in women of reproductive age and pregnancy prevalence. Unadjusted cohorts of pregnant versus nonpregnant trauma patients were compared. Pregnant patients then were matched on age, mechanism of injury, year, and injury severity score with nonpregnant controls for adjusted analysis with a primary outcome of maternal mortality. RESULTS: Despite declining birth and pregnancy rates in the population, pregnant women comprised a stable 5.3% of female trauma patients of reproductive age without decline over the study period (p = 0.53). Compared with nonpregnant women, pregnant trauma patients had a lower injury severity score (1 [1-5] vs 5 [1-10] p < 0.0001) and a shorter length of stay (1 [1-2] vs 1 [1-4] p = 0.04), were less likely to have CT imaging (48.8% vs 67.4%, p < 0.0001) and more likely to be admitted (89.3% vs 79.2%, p = 0.003). Positive toxicology screens were less prevalent in pregnant women, but only for ethanol (5.4% vs 31.4%, p < 0.0001); there was no difference in rates of cannabis, opiates, or cocaine. After matching to adjust for age, year, mechanism of injury, and injury severity score, mortality occurred significantly more frequently in the pregnant cohort (2.1% vs 0.2%, OR = 13.5 [1.39-130.9], p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Pregnant trauma patients have not declined in our population despite population-level declines in pregnancy. After adjusting for lower injury severity, pregnant women were at substantially greater risk of mortality. This supports ongoing concern for pregnant trauma patients as a vulnerable population. Further efforts should optimize systems of care to maximize the chances of rescue for both mother and fetus.