Survival benefit of direct transport to trauma centers among patients with unintentional injuries in Korea: a propensity score-matched analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the characteristics and survival rates of patients with unintentional severe trauma who visited a regional trauma center (TC) or a non-TC. METHODS: This retrospective, national, population-based, observational, case-control study included patients with abnormal Revised Trauma Score from January 2018 to December 2018. We divided hospitals into two types, TC and non-TC, and compared several variables, including in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching was used to reduce the effect of confounding variables that influence survival outcome variables. RESULTS: Of the 25,743 patients, 5,796 visited a TC and 19,947 visited a non-TC. Compared to patients treated at non-TCs, patients treated at TCs were more likely to have a higher Injury Severity Score (TC, 11.5; non-TC, 7.4; P<0.001), higher rate of surgery or transcatheter arterial embolization (TC, 39.2%; non-TC, 17.6%; P<0.001), and higher admission rate (TC, 64.7%; non-TC, 36.9%; P<0.001) through the emergency department. After propensity score matching, 2,800 patients from both groups were analyzed. Patients in the TC had a higher survival rate than patients that were not treated in the TC (TC, 83.0%; non-TC, 78.6%; P=0.003). CONCLUSION: This study using Korean emergency medical services data showed that initial transport to trauma centers was associated with mortality reduction. Further research is required because of limitations with use of single-year data and retrospective design.

Simple Age Specific Cutoff Value for Sarcopenia Evaluated by Computed Tomography.

OBJECTIVE: Until now, cutoff values of low skeletal muscle mass using computed tomography (CT) were driven by optimal stratification to predict mortality in cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the simple, age-specific, cutoff value of low skeletal muscle mass by CT in healthy adults. DESIGN: This is a retrospective, observational, single-center study. SETTING: This study was performed in the health screening department of a university-affiliated hospital during a 10-year period. PATIENTS: Medical records of 1,422 patients presenting to the health screening department were reviewed. Cross-sectional area of psoas muscle at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on abdominal CT was measured and adjusted by height (mm2/m2). This value (psoas muscle index [PMI]) was assumed to represent whole skeletal muscle mass. We divided the patients according to age, sex, and defined cutoff value of low skeletal muscle mass as 2 SDs below the mean. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among 1,422 patients, 550 patients (38.6%) were male. The mean PMI was 896.60 (mm2/m2) for men and 570.54 (mm2/m2) for women. Cutoff values of PMI for men were 592.3 mm2/m2 for 20-39 years, 474.0 mm2/m2 for 40-49 years, 422.2 mm2/m2 for 50-59 years, 374.4 mm2/m2 for 60-69 years, and 331.5 mm2/m2 for 70-89 years. The values for women were 399.9 mm2/m2 for 20-39 years, 287.7 mm2/m2 for 40-49 years, 242.5 mm2/m2 for 50-59 years, 220.4 mm2/m2 for 60-69 years, and 147.6 mm2/m2 for 70-89 years. CONCLUSIONS: Cutoff values of low skeletal muscle mass using CT differed in healthy adults as age increased. Further studies on the effect of sarcopenia intervention using this cutoff value are needed.

Membranous obstructive Candida tracheitis as a complication of endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy.

This report describes a rare case of acute life-threatening stridor that was due to membranous obstructive Candida tracheitis, and this condition occurred after long-term endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy. An obstructive membrane was found 2 cm above the carina by bronchofiberscopy. The removal of the membrane resulted in the complete relief of the airway obstruction.