Subway-related trauma at a level 1 trauma centre in Toronto, Ontario.

BACKGROUND: Given the rising prevalence of subways in combination with an increasing incidence of subway-related injuries, understanding subway-related trauma is becoming ever more relevant. The aim of this study was to characterize the potential causes, injury characteristics and outcomes of subway-related trauma at a level 1 adult trauma centre in Toronto, Ontario. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify patients who presented to the emergency department a level 1 adult trauma centre with a subway-related injury between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2018. Patients were identified via International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision E-codes (X81, Y02, V050, V051 and W17). We then further screened for descriptions of subway-related injuries. Patients whose injuries did not involve a moving subway train were excluded. RESULTS: We identified 51 patients who presented to the emergency department after being hit by a moving subway train. The majority of incidents (39 [76%]) were due to self-harm, 10 (20%) were unintentional injuries, and 2 (4%) were due to assault. The presence of alcohol was detected in 8 patients (80%) with unintentional injuries and 3 (8%) of those with self-inflicted injuries. Thirteen patients (25%) had a systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg. The median Injury Severity Score was 17 (interquartile range 9-29). Seventeen patients (33%) presented with severe injuries (Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥ 3) in 1 body region, and 19 (37%) had severe injuries in 2 or more body regions. The most common isolated severe injury was in the lower extremity, and the most common combinations of severe injuries were in the head and lower extremity, and head and thorax. Ten patients (20%) were declared dead in the emergency department. Of the 41 patients who survived their initial presentation, 12 (29%) went directly to the operating room, and 17 (41%) were transferred to the intensive care unit. The overall mortality rate was 29%. CONCLUSION: Patients with subway-related injuries experienced high mortality rates and severe injuries. Most incidents were due to self-harm or alcohol-related. Further research into early identification of those at risk and optimal prevention strategies is necessary to curb further incidents.

Association of Job Expectations Among High School Students With Early Death During Adulthood.

Importance: Deaths from self-injury are increasing. Understanding the sources of risk is important for prevention and treatment. Objective: To estimate the risks of suicide and drug poisoning deaths among adult men whose adolescent occupational expectations were not met in adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included a sample of men interviewed as part of the High School and Beyond study, a nationally representative study of US high school sophomores and seniors in 1980, who were interviewed every 2 years through 1986; those who were sophomores in 1980 were reinterviewed in 1992. Men who survived to 1992 and reported occupational expectations were included in the present study. Death records prior to 2018 were linked to mortality databases and released in 2019. Data analysis was conducted from May to October 2020. Exposure: Occupational expectations. Main Outcomes and Measures: Survival or death by suicide, drug poisoning, chronic liver disease, heart disease, cancer, or some other cause, categorized from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision codes. Competing risk Fine-Gray survival models regressed cause of death on adolescent occupational expectations and covariates. Results: The 11 680 men in the High School and Beyond cohort study had a median (interquartile range) age of 29 (28-30) years in 1992, when the analysis of their future mortality began. Most men survived until 2015 (11 060 [weighted percentage, 95.0%]). Reported causes of death were suicide (60 [weighted percentage, 0.5%]), drug poisoning (40 [weighted percentage, 0.4%]), chronic liver disease (20 [weighted percentage, 0.2%]), heart disease (130 [weighted percentage, 1.0%]), cancer (100 [weighted percentage, 1.0%]), and other (280 [weighted percentage, 2.0%]). Subhazard ratios for death by suicide and drug poisoning were 2.91 (95% CI, 1.07-7.88; P = .04) and 2.62 (95% CI, 1.15-5.94; P = .02) times higher, respectively, among those who in 1980 expected to hold a subbaccalaureate occupation that later declined in labor market share compared with those with professional occupational expectations. The actual job held by men did not attenuate the hazards of deaths from suicide and drug poisoning. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, men whose occupational expectations were not met because of labor market declines were at a higher risk of death from suicide or drug poisoning than men with different occupational expectations. Interventions to mitigate labor market changes should account for individuals' expectational ideals.

Self-injurious behavior and related mortality in children under 10 years of age: a retrospective health record study in Brazil

Objective: To describe and analyze data on self-injurious behavior (SIB) and related mortality in children under 10 years old in Brazil. Methods: A descriptive study was performed using secondary public health care data extracted from the Hospital Information System (Sistema de Informações Hospitalares, SIH) and Mortality Information System (Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade, SIM) in Brazil. The databases are available for online access at http://datasus.saude.gov.br/. Results: In Brazil, according to SIH data, 11,312 hospitalizations of patients under 10 years of age were recorded from 1998 to 2018 as resulting from SIB (ICD-10 X60-X84 codes). Of these, 65 resulted in death. According to the SIM, from 1996 to 2016, 91 deaths related to SIB were recorded, 81 (89%) in children aged 5 to 9 years, nine (9.9%) in children aged 1 to 4 years, and one (1.1%) in a child below 1 year of age. Conclusion: These results highlight the relevance of creating measures to better understand SIB and related mortality in this age group. They also reveal the vulnerability of children in Brazil and warrant further studies to address these issues.

Increased overall and cause-specific mortality associated with disability among workers' compensation claimants with low back injuries.

BACKGROUND: Mortality tends to be higher among people who do not work than among workers, but the impact of work-related disability on mortality has not been well studied. METHODS: The vital status through 2015 was ascertained for 14 219 workers with an accepted workers' compensation claim in West Virginia for a low back injury in 1998 or 1999. Mortality among the cohort compared with the West Virginia general population was assessed using standard life table techniques. Associations of mortality and disability-related factors within the cohort were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Compared to the general population, mortality from accidental poisoning was significantly elevated among the overall cohort and lost-time claimants. Most deaths from accidental poisoning in the cohort were due to drug overdoses involving opioids. Mortality from intentional self-harm was also significantly elevated among lost-time claimants. In internal analyses, overall mortality and mortality from cancer, heart disease, intentional self-harm, and drug overdoses involving opioids was significantly associated with lost time. Overall mortality and mortality from drug overdoses involving opioids were also significantly associated with amount of lost time, permanent partial disability, and percent permanent disability. Heart disease mortality was also significantly associated with the amount of lost time. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that disability itself may impact mortality risks. If confirmed, these results reinforce the importance of return to work and other efforts to reduce disability.

The two faces of intentional self-inflicted injury: High in-hospital mortality, low postdischarge mortality, but high readmission rates.

BACKGROUND: Intentional self-inflicted injuries present unique challenges in treatment and prevention. We hypothesized intentional self-inflicted injuries would have higher in-hospital and postdischarge mortality than nonintentional self-inflicted injuries trauma. METHODS: Adult patients evaluated 2008 to 2012 were identified in our trauma registry and matched with mortality data from the National Death Index. Intentional self-inflicted injuries were identified using E-Codes. Readmissions were identified and analyzed. Intentional self-inflicted injuries patients who died in-hospital were compared with those surviving to discharge. Univariate analysis was performed using nonparametric tests. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to compare mortality ≤5 years postdischarge between intentional self-inflicted injuries and non-intentional self-inflicted injuries patients. RESULTS: In the study, 8,716 patient records were evaluated with 245 (2.8%) classified as intentional self-inflicted injuries. Eighteen (7.8%) patients with intentional self-inflicted injuries had multiple admissions, compared with 352 (4.4%) patients with nonintentional self-inflicted injuries with readmissions (P = .0210). In-hospital mortality was higher for intentional self-inflicted injuries compared with patients with non-intentional self-inflicted injuries (18.7% vs 4.9%, P < .0001). Survival analysis demonstrated that patients with intentional self-inflicted injuries had significantly lower postdischarge mortality at multiple time points. CONCLUSION: Patients with intentional self-inflicted injuries trauma have high in-hospital mortality, but low postdischarge mortality. We attribute this to high lethality mechanisms but appropriate psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation. However, the high intentional self-inflicted injuries readmission rate indicates further study of intentional self-inflicted injuries follow-up is warranted. Better prevention strategies are needed to identify and intervene in patients at-risk for intentional self-inflicted injuries.

Survival following Self-Inflicted Gunshots to the Face.

BACKGROUND: Self-inflicted gunshot wounds involving the face are highly morbid. However, there is a paucity of objective estimates of mortality. This study aims to provide prognostic guidance to clinicians that encounter this uncommon injury. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients presenting to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (a Level I trauma center) with self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the face from 2007 to 2016. Isolated gunshot wounds to the calvaria or neck were excluded. The data were analyzed to determine predictors of survival. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients that met inclusion criteria, 90 percent were male and 80 percent were Caucasian, with an age range of 21 to 85 years. The most frequently seen injury patterns showed submental (57 percent), intraoral (22 percent), and temporal (12 percent) entry sites. Fewer than half (41 percent) of the cohort sustained penetrative brain injury. Overall, there were 18 deaths (overall mortality, 26 percent), 17 of which were secondary to brain injury. Independent predictors of death included penetrative brain injury (OR, 17; p < 0.0001) and age. Mortality was 17 percent among patients younger than 65 years, compared with 73 percent for those aged 65 years or older (p = 0.0001). Gastrostomy placement was independently associated with 25 percent reduction in length of hospitalization (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Despite tremendous morbidity, the overwhelming majority of patients who present with facial self-inflicted gunshot wounds will survive, especially if they are young and have no penetrative brain injury. These findings should help guide clinical decisions for this devastating injury. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Mortality in the United States from self-injury surpasses diabetes: a prevention imperative.

This report uses an enhanced conceptualisation of self-injury mortality (SIM), which comprised registered or known suicides by any method and estimated non-suicide deaths from opioid and other drug self-intoxication. SIM surpassed diabetes as a cause of death in the USA in 2015. The gap expanded in 2016 with respective rates of 29.1 and 24.8 per 100 000 population. Facing similar social and psychologically complex health problems to SIM, the USA has initiated and sustained successful broad-based prevention efforts that have reduced deaths from cardiovascular diseases, smoking-related lung cancer, HIV and motor vehicular injury-given both necessary epidemiological understanding to define the problem and sufficient political will to address it. Development of strategies to prevent SIM will be facilitated by focusing on factors that are common risks for diverse outcomes. Like premature mortality frequently associated with diabetes, deaths from self-injurious behaviours are preventable.

Mortalidade por causas externas: revisão dos dados do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade / Mortality from external causes: a review of the data of the Mortality Information System (SIM)

Objetivo: Traçar o perfil epidemiológico da mortalidade por causas externas. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa. A população estudada correspondeu a vítimas que foram a óbito por causas externas, por local de ocorrência, no Estado do Tocantins, de 2010 a 2015. Os dados foram extraídos do banco de dados do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde. As variáveis analisadas foram faixa etária, sexo, municípios de ocorrência e categorias da décima edição da Classificação Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde. Resultados: Nos anos de 2010 a 2015, foram registrados 7.691 óbitos por causas externas no Tocantins. Destes, 7.142 corresponderam apenas às categorias consideradas por este estudo, dentre as quais acidentes de transporte e agressões obtiveram maior número de casos, com 43,92% e 29,98%, respectivamente. Da mortalidade por acidentes de transporte, 33,5% corresponderam a motociclistas. Os homens representaram a maioria das ocorrências (82,46%). A faixa etária de 20 a 29 anos foi a mais acometida (24,85%), mas óbitos por quedas e por afogamentos ocorreram mais nas faixas etárias de 80 anos ou mais (207 óbitos) e 30 a 39 anos (72 óbitos), respectivamente. As cidades com maiores resultados foram Palmas (20,71%) e Araguaína (16,5%). Conclusão: Os dados demonstram a magnitude do problema a nível estadual e os impactos causados à saúde pública e à sociedade como um todo. Revelam, ainda, a necessidade de políticas públicas de valorização da vida e da promoção de oportunidades, que visem à igualdade entre os cidadãos. (AU)

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile of mortality from external causes. METHODS: This is a retrospective, descriptive and quantitative study. The population studied consists of victims who died from external causes, by place of occurrence, in the state of Tocantins from 2010 to 2015. Data were extracted from the Mortality Information System database of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The analyzed variables were age, gender, municipalities of occurrence, and categories of the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases. RESULTS : Between the years 2010 and 2015, there were 7691 deaths due to external causes in Tocantins. Of these, 7142 corresponded only to the categories considered by this study, such as transportation accidents and assaults that obtained the highest number of cases, with 43.92% and 29.98%, respectively. The mortality due to transportation accidents had 33.5% consisting of motorcyclists. Besides, men represent the majority of occurrences (82.46%). The age range of 20-29 years was the most affected (24.85%), but deaths from falls and drowning occurred more frequently in the age range of 80 years or more (207 deaths), and 30-39 years (72 deaths), respectively. The cities with the highest results were Palmas (20.71%), and Araguaína (16.5%). CONCLUSI ON: Data demonstrate the magnitude of the problem at the state level, and the impacts caused to the public health and society as a whole. They also reveal the need for public policies to value life and promote opportunities for equality among citizens. (AU)

Carga de enfermedad de los adolescentes en Uruguay y su comparación con la de América Latina y el Caribe / Global burden of disease among teenagers in Uruguay and its comparison with Latin America and the Caribbean

Resumen Introducción. La adolescencia es considerada una etapa de buena salud y por tanto poco estudiada. El objetivo de este estudio es describir la evolución de la mortalidad en adolescentes en Uruguay y analizar la carga de enfermedad en esta etapa de la vida, a través de la medida de los Años de Vida Perdidos por Muerte Prematura en Uruguay y su comparación con los de América Latina y el Caribe según sexo, causa y subregión. Metodología. Se utilizaron fuentes de datos secundarias: el registro nacional de defunciones del Uruguay, el primer estudio de Carga Global de Enfermedad en Uruguay y la información presentada por la página de visualización de datos del Instituto de Métricas y Evaluación en Salud. Resultados. La mortalidad en los adolescentes se ha mantenidos aproximadamente estable entre 1997 y 2015. Loa años perdidos por muerte prematura para el Uruguay son más en los hombres y sus principales causas son los accidentes de tránsito, heridas auto infringidas y violencia. El mismo comportamiento se presenta en la región. Conclusiones. Los determinantes sociales de la salud vinculados a la pobreza e inequidad tienen un rol en el desarrollo de depresión, conductas riesgosas y violentas que posiblemente expliquen la perdida de años por muerte prematura en esta etapa de la vida.

Abstract Introduction. Adolescence is considered a healthy stage of life and therefore little studied. This study described mortality over time in teenagers in Uruguay and analysed the burden of disease at this stage of life by the measure of Years of Life Lost by Premature Death in Uruguay and by comparison with rates in Latin America and the Caribbean by sex, cause and sub-region. Methodology. Secondary data sources used were the national registry of deaths in Uruguay, the first Global Burden of Disease study in Uruguay and the information on the data visualisation page of the Institute of Metrics and Health Evaluation. Data were extracted by the authors and displayed in tables and graphs. Results. Teenager mortality held roughly stable between 1997 and 2015. More years were lost to premature death among Uruguayan men, the main causes being traffic accidents, self-inflicted injuries and violence. The same behaviour occurs throughout the region. Conclusions. The social determinants of health connected with poverty and inequality play a role in the development of depression, risky and violent behaviour, which possibly explain the loss of years due to premature death in adolescence.

Clinical Characteristics of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Patients with Death from Accidental Overdose or Intentional Self-Harm: a Descriptive Study.

PURPOSE: The objective of this descriptive study was to identify clinical characteristics of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients who died from intentional self-harm or accidental overdose postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, descriptive study included RYGB patients from a large rural medical center that completed surgery between January 2004 and December 2014 and died from intentional self-harm or accidental overdose through December 2015. Specific causes of death were obtained from the National Death Index and clinical data from electronic health records. Clinical characteristics explored were age, sex, time to surgery, weight loss expectations, postoperative weight loss, medication, diagnoses, psychiatric histories (diagnoses, self-harm, suicidal ideation and behaviors, medications, substance use, preoperative Beck Depression Inventory-II scores), pain, social support, and reported life stressors. RESULTS: Overall, 22 patients of 146 total deceased patients died from intention self-harm (n = 6) or accidental overdose (n = 16) over the study period (77.3% female, mean age at time of surgery = 38.4 ± 9.1 years). Younger age (< 40 years), history of self-harm or depression, preoperative pain, and use of opioids at the time of surgery emerged as common characteristics in weight loss surgery patients who died from intentional self-harm or accidental overdose. No trends regarding social support, life stressors, or actual or expected weight loss were identified. CONCLUSION: Certain weight loss surgery patients may be at risk for death from self-harm or overdose and may benefit from greater surveillance postoperatively.

Characterizing injury severity in nonaccidental trauma: Does Injury Severity Score miss the mark?

BACKGROUND: Children suffering nonaccidental trauma (NAT) are at high risk of death. It is unclear whether markers of injury severity for trauma center/system benchmarking such as Injury Severity Score (ISS) adequately characterize this. Our objective was to evaluate mortality prediction of ISS in children with NAT compared with accidental trauma (AT). METHODS: Pediatric patients younger than 16 years from the Pennsylvania state trauma registry 2000 to 2013 were included. Logistic regression predicted mortality from ISS for NAT and AT patients. Multilevel logistic regression determined the association between mortality and ISS while adjusting for age, vital signs, and injury pattern in NAT and AT patients. Similar models were performed for head Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Sensitivity analysis examined impaired functional independence at discharge as an alternate outcome. RESULTS: Fifty thousand five hundred seventy-nine patients were included with 1,866 (3.7%) NAT patients. Nonaccidental trauma patients had a similar rate of mortality at an ISS of 13 as an ISS of 25 for AT patients. Nonaccidental trauma patients also have higher mortality for a given head AIS level (range, 1.2-fold to 5.9-fold higher). Injury Severity Score was a significantly greater predictor of mortality in AT patients (adjusted odds rations [AOR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.15; p < 0.01) than NAT patients (AOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.07-1.12; p < 0.01) per 1-point ISS increase, while head injury was a significantly greater predictor of mortality in NAT patients (AOR, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.54-8.32; p < 0.01) than AT patients (AOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.95-1.45; p = 0.12). Nonaccidental trauma patients had a higher rate of impaired functional independence at any given ISS or head AIS level than AT patients. CONCLUSION: Nonaccidental trauma patients have higher mortality and impaired function at a given ISS/head AIS than AT patients. Conventional ISS thresholds may underestimate risk and head injury is a more important predictor of mortality in the NAT population. These findings should be considered in system performance improvement and benchmarking efforts that rely on ISS for injury characterization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

Perfil de mortalidade por causas externas entre Adventistas do Sétimo Dia e a população geral / Profile of mortality from external causes among Seventh-day Adventists and the general populations

Resumo Este estudo teve por objetivo comparar o perfil de mortalidade por causas externas entre Adventistas do Sétimo Dia e população geral do Espírito Santo no período de 2003 a 2009. Realizou-se busca dos Adventistas no banco nominal do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade de posse das informações dos Adventistas fornecidas pelas sedes administrativas da instituição. Os óbitos por causas externas ocorridos no período estudado foram então separados em dois grupos: Adventistas e população geral. Os Adventistas apresentaram menor mortalidade proporcional por causas externas (10%) que a população geral (19%), sendo o sexo masculino o principal responsável por essa diferença. Em ambos os grupos os óbitos predominaram na faixa de 20 a 29 anos. As mortes por causas acidentais foram mais expressivas entre os Adventistas (68,08%) enquanto as mortes por causas intencionais relacionadas às agressões e lesões autoprovocadas foram mais significativas na população geral (53,67% de todas as mortes). A razão de mortalidade padronizada para as causas externas foi 41,3, sendo assim ser Adventista reduziu a mortalidade em 58,7%. Acredita-se que o benefício dos Adventistas verificado em relação à mortalidade por causas externas possa estar relacionado à recomendação de abstinência do consumo de álcool por esse grupo.

Abstract This paper aimed to compare the profile of mortality from external causes among Seventh-day Adventists and the general population of Espírito Santo from 2003 to 2009. A search of Adventists was performed in the nominal database of the Mortality Information System containing data on Adventists provided by the administrative offices of the institution. Deaths from external causes occurred during the study period were then divided into two groups: Adventists and the general population. Adventists had lower proportional mortality from external causes (10%) than the general population (19%), and males were the main reason for this difference. In both groups, deaths prevailed in the 20-29 years age group. Deaths from accidental causes were most significant among Adventists (68.08%), while deaths from intentional causes related to assault and self-inflicted injuries were more significant in the general population (53.67% of all deaths). The standardized mortality ratio for external causes was 41.3, thus, being Adventist reduced mortality by 58.7%. It is believed that the benefit of Adventists observed for mortality from external causes is related to this group's abstinence from alcohol consumption.

Population-based estimate of trauma-related deaths for law enforcement personnel: Risks for death are higher and increasing over time.

BACKGROUND: Trauma-related deaths remain an important public health problem. One group susceptible to death due to traumatic mechanisms is US law enforcement (LE). We hypothesized that LE officers experienced a higher chance of violent death compared with the general US population and that risks have increased over time. METHODS: The National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health National Occupational Mortality Surveillance is a population-based survey of occupational deaths. It includes data for workers who died during 1985 to 1998 in one of 30 US states (EARLY period). Additional deaths were added from 23 US states in 1999, 2003 to 2004, 2007 to 2010 (LATE period). Mortality rates are estimated by calculating proportionate mortality ratios (PMR). A PMR above 100 is considered to exceed the average background risk for all occupations. All adults older than 18 years whose primary occupation was listed as "law enforcement worker" were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Law enforcement personnel were more likely to die from an injury compared with the general population (Fig. 1). The overall PMR for injury in EARLY was 111 (95% confidence interval [CI], 108-114; p < 0.01), and for LATE was 118 (95% CI, 110-127; p < 0.01). Four mechanisms of death reached statistical significance: motor vehicle traffic (MVT)-driver, MVT-other, intentional self-harm, and assault/homicide. The highest PMR in EARLY was associated with firearms (PMR, 272; 95% CI, 207-350; p < 0.01). The highest PMR in LATE was associated with death due to being a driver in an MVT (PMR, 194; 95% CI, 169-222; p < 0.01). There were differences in risk of death by race and sex. White females had the highest PMR due to assault and homicide (PMR, 317; 95% CI, 164-554; p < 0.01). All groups had similar risks of death due to intentional self-harm (PMR, 130-171). CONCLUSION: The risk of death for US LE officers is high and increasing over time, suggesting an at-risk population that requires further interventions. Targeted efforts based on risk factors, such as sex and race, may assist with the development of prevention programs for this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level II.

The association of physical illness and self-harm resulting in hospitalisation among older people in a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: With population ageing, self-harm injuries among older people are increasing. Further examination of the association of physical illness and self-harm among older people is warranted. This research aims to identify the association of physical illness with hospitalisations following self-harm compared to non-self-harm injury among older people. METHOD: A population-based cohort study of individuals aged 50+ years admitted to hospital either for a self-harm or a non-self-harm injury using linked hospital admission and mortality records during 2003-2012 in New South Wales, Australia was conducted. Logistic regression and survival plots were used to examine the association of 21 physical illnesses and mortality at 12 months by injury intent, respectively. Age-adjusted health outcomes, including length of stay, readmission and mortality were examined by injury intent. RESULTS: There were 12,111 hospitalisations as a result of self-harm and 474,158 hospitalisations as a result of non-self-harm injury. Self-harm compared to non-self-harm hospitalised injury was associated with higher odds of mental health conditions (i.e. depression, schizophrenia, bipolar and anxiety disorders), neurological disorders (excluding dementia), other disorders of the nervous system, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory disease, liver disease, tinnitus and pain. Tinnitus, pain, malignancies and diabetes all had a higher likelihood of occurrence for self-harm compared to non-self-harm hospitalisations even after adjusting for mental health conditions, number of comorbidities and alcohol and drug dependency. CONCLUSION: Older people who are experiencing chronic health conditions, particularly tinnitus, malignancies, diabetes and chronic pain may be at risk of self-harm. Targeted screening may assist in identifying older people at risk of self-harm.

Application of a Modified Garbage Code Algorithm to Estimate Cause-Specific Mortality and Years of Life Lost in Korea.

Years of life lost (YLLs) are estimated based on mortality and cause of death (CoD); therefore, it is necessary to accurately calculate CoD to estimate the burden of disease. The garbage code algorithm was developed by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study to redistribute inaccurate CoD and enhance the validity of CoD estimation. This study aimed to estimate cause-specific mortality rates and YLLs in Korea by applying a modified garbage code algorithm. CoD data for 2010-2012 were used to calculate the number of deaths. The garbage code algorithm was then applied to calculate target cause (i.e., valid CoD) and adjusted CoD using the garbage code redistribution. The results showed that garbage code deaths accounted for approximately 25% of all CoD during 2010-2012. In 2012, lung cancer contributed the most to cause-specific death according to the Statistics Korea. However, when CoD was adjusted using the garbage code redistribution, ischemic heart disease was the most common CoD. Furthermore, before garbage code redistribution, self-harm contributed the most YLLs followed by lung cancer and liver cancer; however, after application of the garbage code redistribution, though self-harm was the most common leading cause of YLL, it is followed by ischemic heart disease and lung cancer. Our results showed that garbage code deaths accounted for a substantial amount of mortality and YLLs. The results may enhance our knowledge of burden of disease and help prioritize intervention settings by changing the relative importance of burden of disease.

Mechanism-specific injury biomarkers predict nephrotoxicity early following glyphosate surfactant herbicide (GPSH) poisoning.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common following glyphosate surfactant herbicide (GPSH) self-poisoning. Serum creatinine (sCr) is the most widely used renal biomarker for diagnosis of AKI although a recent study in rats suggested that urinary kidney injury molecule-1 predicted AKI earlier and better after GPSH-induced nephrotoxicity. We explored the utility of a panel of biomarkers to diagnose GPSH-induced nephrotoxicity in humans. In a prospective multi-centre observational study, serial urine and blood samples were collected until discharge and at follow-up. The diagnostic performance of each biomarker at various time points was assessed. AKI was diagnosed using the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) definitions. The added value of each biomarker to sCr to diagnose AKI was assessed by the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) metric. Of 90 symptomatic patients, 51% developed AKI and 5 patients who developed AKIN≥2 died. Increased sCr at 8 and 16h predicted moderate to severe AKI and death. None of the 10 urinary biomarkers tested increased above normal range in patients who did not develop AKI or had mild AKI (AKIN1); most of these patients also had only minor clinical toxicity. Absolute concentrations of serum and urinary cystatin C, urinary interleukin-18 (IL-18), Cytochrome C (CytoC) and NGAL increased many fold within 8h in patients who developed AKIN≥2. Maximum 8 and 16h concentrations of these biomarkers showed an excellent diagnostic performance (AUC-ROC ≥0.8) to diagnose AKIN≥2. However, of these biomarkers only uCytoC added value to sCr to diagnose AKI when assessed by IDI metrics. GPSH-induced nephrotoxicity can be diagnosed within 24h by sCr. Increases in uCytoC and uIL-18 confirm GPSH-induces apoptosis and causes mitochondrial toxicity. Use of these biomarkers may help to identify mechanism specific targeted therapies for GPSH nephrotoxicity in clinical trials.

Survival probability in self immolation attempters: a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Self-immolation is one of the most violent methods of suicide in developing countries. The objective of the present study was to investigate the survival rate and factors affecting survival of self-immolation patients. METHODS: All people either died or hospitalized for intentional burns were assessed in Kermanshah province between 2010 and 2013. Required information was gathered from two sources, Kermanshah province legal medicine and burn center of Imam Khomeini Hospital. Survival function was assessed through Cox regression. The data were analyzed with Stata 12 software. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2013 (three years), 446 people attempted self-immolation, of which 370 were females (83%). In general, 276 people (61.8%) died due to severity of the burns. The median of survival time was 47±5 days. The survival rate after one day, one week, and 21 days after accident was 86%, 52%, and 38%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that burn was the most powerful risk factor, sothe risk in those with over 70% burns is 17 times more than those with burns less than 30%. CONCLUSION: Burn percentage is the strongest risk factor, those with high burns percentage should be hospitalized quickly and without waste of time.

Suicide by burning: epidemiological and clinical profiles.

Self-immolation constitutes a rare form of suicide in developed countries, though it accounts for unique injury characteristics in the burn intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to present the epidemiological and clinical features of patients burned during a suicidal attempt seen in a North Rhine-Westphalia burn intensive care unit (BICU). To address this aim, we undertook a 21-year retrospective study involving patients with thermal injuries admitted to the largest burn unit in Germany. A total of 125 suicide-related burn victims were identified in the study period (9.4%). Comparing the self-immolation group with the rest burn patient cohort, suicide victims were more likely to be single and to act under the influence of alcohol. The suicidal group had a larger extent of burns, higher incidence of inhalation injury, required more surgical procedures, catecholamines, blood transfusions, and a longer BICU stay. Their clinical course was complicated by prolonged intubation period, higher rate of multiple drug-resistant bacteria acquisition and sepsis, leading to a higher mortality rate. Although the proportion of self-immolation victims among all burned patients is not high, the markedly higher severity of their burns and their poorer quality of outcomes makes them an important clinical subgroup for further study.

Sex-related differences in childhood and adolescent self-inflicted injuries: a National Trauma Databank review.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports have demonstrated increasing lethality among young women after inflicted injuries (SII). The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in the methods and outcomes of childhood and adolescent SII. METHODS: The National Trauma Databank (v 7.0) was used to identify all patients 18 years or younger who sustained a SII. Demographic data, clinical data, and outcomes were compared between male and female patients. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 1853 (61.1%) male and 1182 (38.9%) female patients sustained a SII. The most common SII mechanism in male patients was gunshot wound (32.1% vs 6.8%, P < .001); in female patients, poisoning (45.6% vs 9.6%, P < .001). For younger patients (<12 years) hanging was the most common method for both male and female patients (36.5% and 29.2%, respectively). The most lethal method in both male and female patients was gunshot wound (32.3% and 38.0%, respectively). This was followed by hanging which had a high rate of lethality particularly in male adolescents 14 years or younger (36.5% and 33.2% for males <12 years and 12-14 years, respectively). CONCLUSION: Self-inflicted injuries in childhood and adolescence show distinct sex differences primarily with regard to mechanism. Males favor shooting; females, poisoning; younger ages, hanging. Gunshot wound and hanging were the 2 most lethal methods of self-inflicted injury.