Pediatric Firearm Deaths and State Policies on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether state-level SEAD policies are associated with pediatric firearm homicides and suicides. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Firearm deaths continue to rise among United States (US) children. School-based efforts to promote social, emotional, and academic development (SEAD) may be a means to reduce such deaths, but state-level policies vary and the effect on firearm deaths is unknown. METHODS: We used Education Trust data regarding state-level SEAD policies, averaging 6 domains to create a cumulative score and investigating each domain individually. The primary outcomes were pediatric firearm homicides and suicides, using covariates from the American Community Survey and State Firearm Laws database. We mapped SEAD policies and pediatric death rates. Poisson regression was used to investigate associations between SEAD policies and pediatric firearm deaths. RESULTS: Annual statewide pediatric firearm deaths ranged from 0.85 to 7.81 per 100,000; homicides from 0.64 to 5.69, and suicides from 0.21 to 4.75. Univariate analyses demonstrated associations between SEAD scores and both homicides (P=0.003) and suicides (P=0.032), but these were nonsignificant after adjustment. Professional Development and Engagement policies were associated with lower rates of pediatric firearm homicides after adjustment (IRR=0.33, P=0.004 and IRR=0.46, P=0.014, respectively). There was no significant association between any domain and pediatric firearm suicide. CONCLUSION: Professional Development and Student, Family and Community Engagement policies are associated with lower rates of pediatric firearm homicides, however, there was no significant association between pediatric firearm deaths and summary SEAD measures after adjustment. Certain SEAD policies may be helpful in decreasing pediatric firearm deaths.

Trends in youth risk behaviours and firearm injury in the USA over 20 years.

BACKGROUND: Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death in children and adolescents in the USA. We hypothesised that high rates of risky behaviour in high school students are associated with firearm injury and death in this population. METHODS: We obtained data from the Youth Behaviour Risk Survey of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and combined it with data from the CDC Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research and American Community Survey, 2001-2020. We examined trends over time using a non-parametric test for trends. RESULTS: The percentage of high school-aged youth carrying a weapon in the preceding 30 days ranged from 13.2% in 2019 to 18.5% in 2005, without a statistically significant trend over time (p=0.051). Those carrying a weapon to school peaked at 6.5% in 2005 and steadily downtrended to 2.8% in 2019 (p=0.004). Boys consistently reported higher rates of weapon carriage, with white boys reporting higher rates than black boys. Firearm homicides among adolescents 14-18 years showed no significant change, ranging from 4.0 per 100k in 2013 to 8.3 per 100k in 2020. This varied considerably by sex and race, with black boys suffering a rate of nearly 60 per 100 000 in 2020 and white girls rarely exceeding 1/100 000 during the study period. CONCLUSION: Self-reported weapon carriage among teens in the USA has steadily downtrended over time. However, shooting injuries and deaths have not. While the former suggests progress, the latter remains concerning. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III; retrospective cohort study.

Modifiable Factors Related to Firearm Homicides: A Broader View of Our Lane.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify modifiable factors related to firearm homicide (FH). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Many socioeconomic, legislative and behavioral risk factors impact FH. Most studies have evaluated these risk factors in isolation, but they coexist in a complex and ever-changing American society. We hypothesized that both restrictive firearm laws and socioeconomic support would correlate with reduced FH rates. METHODS: To perform our ecologic cross-sectional study, we queried the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) for 2013-2016 state FH data. We retrieved firearm access estimates from the RAND State-Level Firearm Ownership Database. Alcohol use and access to care data were captured from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Detached youth rates, socioeconomic support data and poverty metrics were captured from US Census data for each state in each year. Firearm laws were obtained from the State Firearms Law Database. Variables with significant FH association were entered into a final multivariable panel linear regression with fixed effect for state. RESULTS: A total of 49,610 FH occurred in 2013-2016 (median FH rate: 3.9:100,000, range: 0.07-11.2). In univariate analysis, increases in concealed carry limiting laws ( P =0.012), detached youth rates ( P <0.001), socioeconomic support ( P <0.001) and poverty rates ( P <0.001) correlated with decreased FH. Higher rates of heavy drinking ( P =0.036) and the presence of stand your ground doctrines ( P =0.045) were associated with increased FH. Background checks, handgun limiting laws, and weapon access were not correlated with FH. In multivariable regression, increased access to food benefits for those in poverty [ß: -0.132, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.182 to -0.082, P <0.001] and laws limiting concealed carry (ß: -0.543, 95% CI: -0.942 to -0.144, P =0.008) were associated with decreased FH rates. Allowance of stand your ground was associated with more FHs (ß: 1.52, 95% CI: 0.069-2.960, P <0.040). CONCLUSIONS: The causes and potential solutions to FH are complex and closely tied to public policy. Our data suggests that certain types of socioeconomic support and firearm restrictive legislation should be emphasized in efforts to reduce firearm deaths in America.

The Impact of Socially Stigmatized Preexisting Conditions on Outcomes After Injury.

BACKGROUND: Socially stigmatized preexisting conditions (SSPECs), including alcohol use disorder (AUD), drug use disorder (DUD), and major psychiatric illness, may lead to provider minimization of patient symptoms and have been associated with negative outcomes. However, the impact of SSPECs on failure to rescue (FTR) has not been evaluated. We hypothesized that SSPEC patients would have increased probability of complications, mortality, and FTR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the 2015 National Trauma Data Bank, including patients aged ≥18 y and excluding burn victims, patients with Injury Severity Score <9, and non-SSPEC patients with drug or alcohol withdrawal. We defined SSPECs using the National Trauma Data Bank's comorbidity recording codes for AUD, DUD, and major psychiatric illnesses. We built multivariable logistic regression models to determine the relationships between SSPECs and complications, mortality, and FTR. RESULTS: We included 365,801 patients (62% male, 76% White, median age 56 y [interquartile range 35-74], median Injury Severity Score 10 [interquartile range 9-17]). After adjusting for patient and injury characteristics, SSPEC patients were more likely to have complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-1.79), less likely to die (OR 0.43, CI 0.38-0.48), and less likely to have FTR (OR 0.34, CI 0.26-0.43). SSPEC patients had a significantly higher complication rate (12.4% versus 7.2%; P < 0.001). After excluding drug or alcohol withdrawal, the complication rate remained significantly higher for SSPEC patients (9.3% versus 7.2%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although SSPEC patients have lower odds of mortality and FTR, they are at higher probability of complications after injury. Further investigation into the causality behind the higher complications despite lower mortality and FTR is warranted.

Differences Between Center-level Outcomes in Emergency and Elective General Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Center-level outcome metrics have long been tracked in elective surgery (ELS). Despite recent interest in measuring emergency general surgery (EGS) quality, centers are often compared based on elective or combined outcomes. Therefore, quality of care for emergency surgery specifically is unknown. METHODS: We extracted data on EGS and ELS patients from the 2016 State Inpatient Databases of Florida, New York, and Kentucky. Centers that performed >100 ELS and EGS operations were included. Risk-adjusted mortality, complication, and failure to rescue (FTR, death after complication) rates were calculated and observed-to-expected ratios were calculated by center for ELS and EGS patients. Centers were determined to be high or low outliers if the 90% CI for the observed: expected ratio excluded 1. We calculated the frequency with which centers demonstrated a different performance status between EGS and ELS. Kendall's tau values were calculated to assess for correlation between EGS and ELS status. RESULTS: A total of 204 centers with 45,500 EGS cases and 49,380 ELS cases met inclusion criteria. Overall mortality, complication, and FTR rates were 1.7%, 8.0%, and 14.5% respectively. There was no significant correlation between mortality performance in EGS and ELS, with 36 centers in a different performance category (high outlier, low outlier, as expected) in EGS than in ELS. The correlation for complication rates was 0.20, with 60 centers in different categories for EGS and ELS. For FTR rates, there was no correlation, with 16 centers changing category. CONCLUSIONS: There was minimal correlation between outcomes for ELS and EGS. High performers in one category were rarely high performers in the other. There may be important differences between the processes of care that are important for EGS and ELS outcomes that may yield meaningful opportunities for quality improvement.

Timing to First Whole Blood Transfusion and Survival Following Severe Hemorrhage in Trauma Patients.

Importance: Civilian trauma centers have revived interest in whole-blood (WB) resuscitation for patients with life-threatening bleeding. However, there remains insufficient evidence that the timing of WB transfusion when given as an adjunct to a massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is associated with a difference in patient survival outcome. Objective: To evaluate whether earlier timing of first WB transfusion is associated with improved survival at 24 hours and 30 days for adult trauma patients presenting with severe hemorrhage. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program databank from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, for adult patients presenting to US and Canadian adult civilian level 1 and 2 trauma centers with systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg, with shock index greater than 1, and requiring MTP who received a WB transfusion within the first 24 hours of emergency department (ED) arrival. Patients with burns, prehospital cardiac arrest, deaths within 1 hour of ED arrival, and interfacility transfers were excluded. Data were analyzed from January 3 to October 2, 2023. Exposure: Patients who received WB as an adjunct to MTP (earlier) compared with patients who had yet to receive WB as part of MTP (later) at any given time point within 24 hours of ED arrival. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were survival at 24 hours and 30 days. Results: A total of 1394 patients met the inclusion criteria (1155 male [83%]; median age, 39 years [IQR, 25-51 years]). The study cohort included profoundly injured patients (median Injury Severity Score, 27 [IQR, 17-35]). A survival curve demonstrated a difference in survival within 1 hour of ED presentation and WB transfusion. Whole blood transfusion as an adjunct to MTP given earlier compared with later at each time point was associated with improved survival at 24 hours (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.22-0.73; P = .003). Similarly, the survival benefit of earlier WB transfusion remained present at 30 days (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.22-0.45; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, receipt of a WB transfusion earlier at any time point within the first 24 hours of ED arrival was associated with improved survival in patients presenting with severe hemorrhage. The survival benefit was noted shortly after transfusion. The findings of this study are clinically important as the earlier timing of WB administration may offer a survival advantage in actively hemorrhaging patients requiring MTP.

Association of pediatric firearm injury with neighborhood social deprivation in Philadelphia.

Background: Firearm-related injury is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. There is a need to clarify the association of neighborhood environment with gun violence affecting children. We evaluated the relative contribution of specific social determinants to observed rates of firearm-related injury in children of different ages. Methods: This was a population-based study of firearm injury in children (age <18 years) that occurred in Philadelphia census tracts (2015-2021). The exposure was neighborhood Social Deprivation Index (SDI) quintile. The outcome was the rate of pediatric firearm injury due to interpersonal violence stratified by age, sex, race, and year. Hierarchical negative binomial regression measured the risk-adjusted association between SDI quintile and pediatric firearm injury rate. The relative contribution of specific components of the SDI to neighborhood risk of pediatric firearm injury was estimated. Effect modification and the role of specific social determinants were evaluated in younger (<15 years old) versus older children. Results: 927 children were injured due to gun violence during the study period. Firearm-injured children were predominantly male (87%), of black race (89%), with a median age of 16 (IQR 15-17). Nearly one-half of all pediatric shootings (47%) occurred in the quintile of highest SDI (Q5). Younger children represented a larger proportion of children shot in neighborhoods within the highest (Q5), compared with the lowest (Q1), SDI quintile (25% vs 5%; p<0.007). After risk adjustment, pediatric firearm-related injury was strongly associated with increasing SDI (Q5 vs Q1; aRR 14; 95% CI 6 to 32). Specific measures of social deprivation (poverty, incomplete schooling, single-parent homes, and rented housing) were associated with significantly greater increases in firearm injury risk for younger, compared with older, children. Component measures of the SDI explained 58% of observed differences between neighborhoods. Conclusions: Neighborhood measures of social deprivation are strongly associated with firearm-related injury in children. Younger children appear to be disproportionately affected by specific adverse social determinants compared with older children. Root cause evaluation is required to clarify the interaction with other factors such as the availability of firearms and interpersonal conflict that place children at risk in neighborhoods where gun violence is common. Level of evidence: Level III - Observational Study.

Bullet holes: A novel model to identify the most impactful gaps in the firearm homicide prevention laws of each state.

BACKGROUND: Firearm homicides (FH) are a major cause of mortality in the United States. Firearm law implementation is variable across states, and legislative gaps may represent opportunities for FH prevention. For each state, we sought to identify which firearm law category would have been most effective if implemented and how effective it would have been. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study examining the effects of firearm laws on FH rates in the 48 contiguous US states 2010 to 2019. Data were obtained from the CDC WONDER and FBI UCR databases, State Firearm Law Database, and US Census. Firearm laws were grouped into 14 categories. We assessed the association between the presence of each law category and FH rate as an incidence rate ratio (IRR) using a Poisson regression accounting for state population characteristics and laws of surrounding states. We estimated the IRR for each state that did not have a given law category present and determined which of these missing law categories would have been associated with the greatest reduction in FH rate. RESULTS: FH rates varied widely across states and increased from a mean of 3.2 (SD = 1.7) to 4.2 (SD = 2.9) FH per 100,000. All law categories were significantly associated with decreased FH rate ( p < 0.05), with IRR ranging from 0.25 to 0.85. The most effective missing law category differed between states but was most commonly child access prevention (34.09% of states), assault weapons and large-capacity magazines (15.91%), preemption (15.91%), and concealed carry permitting (13.64%). In total across 2010 to 2019, we estimated that 129,599 fewer FH would have occurred with enactment of the most effective missing law category in each state. CONCLUSION: Modeling firearm law prevention of FH with regard to state legislative and population characteristics can identify the highest impact missing law categories in each state. These results can be used to inform efforts to reduce FH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.

Timing of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis initiation and complications in polytrauma patients with high-risk bleeding orthopedic interventions: A nationwide analysis.

INTRODUCTION: There are no clear recommendations for the perioperative timing and initiation of venous thromboembolism pharmacologic prophylaxis (VTEp) among polytrauma patients undergoing high-risk bleeding orthopedic operative intervention, leading to variations in VTEp administration. Our study examined the association between the timing of VTEp and VTE complications in polytrauma patients undergoing high-risk operative orthopedic interventions nationwide. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of trauma patients 18 years or older who underwent high-risk bleeding operative orthopedic interventions for pelvic, hip, and femur fractures within 24 hours of admission at American College of Surgeons-verified trauma centers using the 2019-2020 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program databank. We excluded patients with a competing risk of nonorthopedic surgical bleeding. We assessed operative orthopedic polytrauma patients who received VTEp within 12 hours of orthopedic surgical intervention compared with VTEp received beyond 12 hours of intervention. The primary outcome assessed was overall VTE events. Secondary outcomes were orthopedic reinterventions within 72 hours after primary orthopedic surgery, deep venous thromboembolism, and pulmonary embolism rates. RESULTS: The study included 2,229 patients who underwent high-risk orthopedic operative intervention. The median time to VTEp initiation was 30 hours (interquartile range, 18-44 hours). After adjustment for baseline patient, injury, and hospital characteristics, VTEp initiated more than 12 hours from primary orthopedic surgery was associated with increased odds of VTE (adjusted odds ratio, 2.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.77). Earlier initiation of prophylaxis was not associated with an increased risk for surgical reintervention (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-1.34). CONCLUSION: Administering VTEp within 24 hours of admission and within 12 hours of major orthopedic surgery involving the femur, pelvis, or hip demonstrated an associated decreased risk of in-hospital VTE without an accompanying elevated risk of bleeding-related orthopedic reintervention. Clinicians should reconsider delays in initiating or withholding perioperative VTEp for stable polytrauma patients needing major orthopedic intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III.

The impact of post-operative enteral nutrition on duodenal injury outcomes: A post hoc analysis of an EAST multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: Leak following surgical repair of traumatic duodenal injuries results in prolonged hospitalization and oftentimes nil per os(NPO) treatment. Parenteral nutrition(PN) has known morbidity; however, duodenal leak(DL) patients often have complex injuries and hospital courses resulting in barriers to enteral nutrition(EN). We hypothesized EN alone would be associated with 1)shorter duration until leak closure and 2)less infectious complications and shorter hospital length of stay(HLOS) compared to PN. METHODS: This was a post-hoc analysis of a retrospective, multicenter study from 35 Level-1 trauma centers, including patients >14 years-old who underwent surgery for duodenal injuries(1/2010-12/2020) and endured post-operative DL. The study compared nutrition strategies: EN vs PN vs EN + PN using Chi-Square and Kruskal-Wallis tests; if significance was found pairwise comparison or Dunn's test were performed. RESULTS: There were 113 patients with DL: 43 EN, 22 PN, and 48 EN + PN. Patients were young(median age 28 years-old) males(83.2%) with penetrating injuries(81.4%). There was no difference in injury severity or critical illness among the groups, however there were more pancreatic injuries among PN groups. EN patients had less days NPO compared to both PN groups(12 days[IQR23] vs 40[54] vs 33[32],p = <0.001). Time until leak closure was less in EN patients when comparing the three groups(7 days[IQR14.5] vs 15[20.5] vs 25.5[55.8],p = 0.008). EN patients had less intra-abdominal abscesses, bacteremia, and days with drains than the PN groups(all p < 0.05). HLOS was shorter among EN patients vs both PN groups(27 days[24] vs 44[62] vs 45[31],p = 0.001). When controlling for predictors of leak, regression analysis demonstrated EN was associated with shorter HLOS(ß -24.9, 95%CI -39.0 to -10.7,p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: EN was associated with a shorter duration until leak closure, less infectious complications, and shorter length of stay. Contrary to some conventional thought, PN was not associated with decreased time until leak closure. We therefore suggest EN should be the preferred choice of nutrition in patients with duodenal leaks whenever feasible. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

A tale of two cities: Policing and firearm homicides in Boston and Philadelphia.

BACKGROUND: Recent political movements have raised questions about the effectiveness of police funding, but the impact of law enforcement budgets on firearm violence is unknown. We hypothesized that department funding and measures of police activity would be associated with decreased shootings and firearm homicides (FHs) in two major cities with different police funding patterns. METHODS: We collected data from the following sources: district attorney's offices, police departments, Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting program, the Centers for Disease Control, the Annual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll, and the American Community Survey. Data included demographics, police department budgets, number of officers, homicide clearance rates, firearms recovered, shootings, and FHs, 2015 to 2020. Totals were normalized to population and number of shootings. We used panel linear regression to measure associations between policing variables, shootings, and FHs while adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Firearm homicides significantly increased in Philadelphia. In Boston, the trend was less clear, although there was an increase in 2020. Police budget normalized to shootings trended toward a decrease in Philadelphia and an increase in Boston. The number of firearms recovered annually appeared to increase in Boston but peaked midstudy in Philadelphia. In multivariable analyses, police budget was associated with neither shootings nor FHs. However, increased firearm recovery was associated with lower shooting ( ß = -0.0004, p = 0.022) and FH ( ß = -0.00005, p = 0.004) rates. CONCLUSION: Philadelphia and Boston demonstrated differences in police funding, 2015 to 2020. While budget is not associated with shootings or FHs, firearm recovery is suggesting that removal of firearms from circulation remains key. The impact this has on vulnerable populations requires further investigation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.

The variable role of damage control laparotomy over 19 years of trauma care in Pennsylvania.

BACKGROUND: Damage control laparotomy emphasizes physiologic stabilization of critically injured patients and allows staged surgical management. However, there is little consensus on the optimal criteria for damage control laparotomy. We examined variability between centers and over time in Pennsylvania. METHODS: We analyzed the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcomes Study data between 2000 and 2018, excluding centers performing <10 laparotomies/year. Laparotomy was defined using International Classification of Diseases codes, and damage control laparotomy was defined by a code for "reopening of recent laparotomy" or a return to the operating room >4 hours from index laparotomy that was not unplanned. We examined trends over time and by center. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to predict both damage control laparotomy and mortality, generate observed:expected ratios, and identify outliers for each. We compared risk-adjusted mortality rates to center-level damage control laparotomy rates. RESULTS: In total, 18,896 laparotomies from 22 centers were analyzed; 3,549 damage control laparotomies were performed (18.8% of all laparotomies). The use of damage control laparotomy in Pennsylvania varied from 13.9% to 22.8% over time. There was wide variation in center-level use of damage control laparotomy, from 11.1% to 29.4%, despite adjustment. Factors associated with damage control laparotomy included injury severity and admission vital signs. Center identity improved the model as demonstrated by likelihood ratio test (P < .001), suggesting differences in center-level practices. There was minimal correlation between center-level damage control laparotomy use and mortality. CONCLUSION: There is wide center-level variation in the use of damage control laparotomy among centers, despite adjustment for patient factors. Damage control laparotomy is both resource intensive and highly morbid; regional resources should be allocated to address this substantial practice variation to optimize damage control laparotomy use.

Funding the war in America: A look in the mirror.

BACKGROUND: Health care political action committees (HPACs) historically contribute more to candidates opposing firearm restrictions (FRs), clashing with their affiliated medical societies. These societies have increasingly emphasized the prevention of firearm violence and it is not known if recent contributions by their HPACs have aligned with their stated goals. We hypothesized that such HPACs still contribute similar amounts toward legislators up for reelection opposing FR. METHODS: We identified HPACs of medical societies endorsing one or both calls-to-action against firearm violence published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2015, 2019). House of Representatives (HOR) votes on H.R.8, a background checks bill, were characterized from GovTrack. We compiled HPAC contributions between the H.R.8 vote and election to HOR members up for re-election from the National Institute on Money in Politics. Our primary outcome was total campaign contributions by H.R.8 stance. Secondary outcomes included percentage of politicians funded and total contributions. RESULTS: Nineteen societies endorsed one or both call-to-action articles. Three hundred eighty-five of 430 HOR members ran for reelection in 2020. Those endorsing H.R.8 (n = 226, 59%) received $2.8 M for $4,750 (interquartile range [IQR], $1000-$15,500) per candidate. Those opposing (n = 159, 41%) received $1.5 M for $2,500 (IQR, $0-$11,000) per candidate ( p = 0.0057). Health care political action committees donated toward a median of 20% (IQR, 7-28) of candidates endorsing H.R.8 and 9% (IQR, 4-22) of candidates opposing H.R.8 ( p = 0.0014). Those endorsing H.R.8 received 1,585 total contributions for a median of 3 (IQR, 1-10) contributions per candidate, while those opposing received 834 total contributions for a median of 2 (IQR, 0-7) contributions per candidate ( p = 0.0029). CONCLUSION: Politicians voting against background checks received substantial contributions toward reelection from the HPACs of societies advocating for firearm restrictions. However, this is the first study to suggest that HPAC's contributions have become more congruent with their respective societies. Further alignment of medical society goals and their HPAC political contributions could have a profound impact on firearm violence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.

Preventing the most common firearm deaths: Modifiable factors related to firearm suicide.

BACKGROUND: More than 20,000 firearm suicides occur every year in America. Firearm restrictive legislation, firearm access, demographics, behavior, access to care, and socioeconomic metrics have been correlated to firearm suicide rates. Research to date has largely evaluated these contributors singularly. We aimed to evaluate them together as they exist in society. We hypothesized that state firearm laws would be associated with reduced firearm suicide rates. METHODS: We acquired the 2013 to 2016 data for firearm suicide rates from The Centers for Disease Control Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. Firearm laws were obtained from the State Firearms Law Database. Depression rates and access to care were obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Population demographics, poverty, and access to social support were obtained from the American Community Survey. Firearm access estimates were retrieved from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. We used a univariate panel linear regression with fixed effect for state and firearm suicide rates as the outcome. We created a final multivariable model to determine the adjusted associations of these factors with firearm suicide rates. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, firearm access, heavy drinking behavior, demographics, and access to care correlated to increased firearm suicide rates. The state proportion identifying as white and the proportion of those in poverty receiving food benefits correlated to decreased firearm suicide rates. In multivariable regression, only heavy drinking (ß, 0.290; 95% confidence interval, 0.092-0.481; P = .004) correlated to firearm suicides rates increases. CONCLUSIONS: During our study, few firearm laws changed. Heavy drinking behavior association with firearm suicide rates suggests an opportunity for interventions exists in the health care setting.

Outcomes among trauma patients with duodenal leak following primary versus complex repair of duodenal injuries: An Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal leak is a feared complication of repair, and innovative complex repairs with adjunctive measures (CRAM) were developed to decrease both leak occurrence and severity when leaks occur. Data on the association of CRAM and duodenal leak are sparse, and its impact on duodenal leak outcomes is nonexistent. We hypothesized that primary repair alone (PRA) would be associated with decreased duodenal leak rates; however, CRAM would be associated with improved recovery and outcomes when leaks do occur. METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter analysis from 35 Level 1 trauma centers included patients older than 14 years with operative, traumatic duodenal injuries (January 2010 to December 2020). The study sample compared duodenal operative repair strategy: PRA versus CRAM (any repair plus pyloric exclusion, gastrojejunostomy, triple tube drainage, duodenectomy). RESULTS: The sample (N = 861) was primarily young (33 years) men (84%) with penetrating injuries (77%); 523 underwent PRA and 338 underwent CRAM. Complex repairs with adjunctive measures were more critically injured than PRA and had higher leak rates (CRAM 21% vs. PRA 8%, p < 0.001). Adverse outcomes were more common after CRAM with more interventional radiology drains, prolonged nothing by mouth and length of stay, greater mortality, and more readmissions than PRA (all p < 0.05). Importantly, CRAM had no positive impact on leak recovery; there was no difference in number of operations, drain duration, nothing by mouth duration, need for interventional radiology drainage, hospital length of stay, or mortality between PRA leak versus CRAM leak patients (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, CRAM leaks had longer antibiotic duration, more gastrointestinal complications, and longer duration until leak resolution (all p < 0.05). Primary repair alone was associated with 60% lower odds of leak, whereas injury grades II to IV, damage control, and body mass index had higher odds of leak (all p < 0.05). There were no leaks among patients with grades IV and V injuries repaired by PRA. CONCLUSION: Complex repairs with adjunctive measures did not prevent duodenal leaks and, moreover, did not reduce adverse sequelae when leaks did occur. Our results suggest that CRAM is not a protective operative duodenal repair strategy, and PRA should be pursued for all injury grades when feasible. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

What happens after they survive? The role of anticoagulants and antiplatelets in IVC injuries.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) after an inferior vena cava (IVC) injury is a devastating complication. Current practice involves variable use of anticoagulation and antiplatelet (AC/AP) agents. We hypothesized that AC/AP can reduce the incidence of VTE and that delayed institution of AC/AP is associated with increased VTE events. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed IVC injuries cared for at a large urban adult academic level 1 trauma center between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2020, surviving 72 hours. Patient demographics, injury mechanism, surgical repair, type and timing of AC, and type and timing of VTE events were characterized. Postoperative AC status during hospital course before an acute VTE event was delineated by grouping patients into four categories: full, prophylactic, prophylactic with concomitant AP, and none. The primary outcome was the incidence of an acute VTE event. IVC ligation was excluded from analysis. Results: Of the 76 patients sustaining an IVC injury, 26 were included. The incidence of a new deep vein thrombosis distal to the IVC injury and a new pulmonary embolism was 31% and 15%, respectively. The median onset of VTE was 5 days (IQR 1-11). Four received full AC, 10 received prophylactic AC with concomitant AP, 8 received prophylactic AC, and 4 received no AC/AP. New VTE events occurred in 0.0% of full, in 30.0% of prophylactic with concomitant AP, in 50.0% of prophylactic, and in 50.0% without AC/AP. There was no difference in baseline demographics, injury mechanisms, surgical interventions, and bleeding complications. Discussion: This is the first study to suggest that delay and degree of antithrombotic initiation in an IVC-injured patient may be associated with an increase in VTE events. Consideration of therapy initiation should be performed on hemostatic stabilization. Future studies are necessary to characterize the optimal dosing and temporal timing of these therapies. Level of evidence: Therapeutic, level 3.

A surgical needs assessment for airway rapid responses: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Airway rapid response (ARR) teams can be compiled of anesthesiologists, intensivists, otolaryngologists, general and thoracic surgeons, respiratory therapists, and nurses. The optimal composition of an ARR team is unknown but considered to be resource intensive. We sought to determine the type of technical procedures performed during an ARR activation to inform team composition. METHODS: A large urban quaternary academic medical center retrospective review (2016-2019) of adult ARR patients was performed. Analysis included ARR demographics, patient characteristics, characteristics of preexisting tracheostomies, incidence of concomitant conditions, and procedures completed during an ARR event. RESULTS: A total of 345 ARR patients with a median age of 60 years (interquartile range, 47-69 years) and a median time to ARR conclusion of 28 minutes (interquartile range, 14-47 minutes) were included. About 41.7% of the ARR had a preexisting tracheostomy. Overall, there were 130 procedures completed that can be performed by a general surgeon in addition to the 122 difficult intubations. These procedures included recannulation of a tracheostomy, operative intervention, new emergent tracheostomy or cricothyroidotomy, thoracostomy tube placement, initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and pericardiocentesis. CONCLUSION: Highly technical procedures are common during an ARR, including procedures related to tracheostomies. Surgeons possess a comprehensive skill set that is unique and comprehensive with respect to airway emergencies. This distinctive skill set creates an important role within the ARR team to perform these urgent technical procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic/prognostic, level III.

Efficient evaluation of center-level emergency surgery performance using a high-yield procedure set: A step towards an EGS registry.

BACKGROUND: Emergency general surgery (EGS) lacks mechanisms to compare performance between institutions. Focusing on higher-risk procedures may efficiently identify outliers. METHODS: EGS patients were identified from the 2016 State Inpatient Databases of Florida, New York, and Kentucky. Risk-adjusted mortality was calculated as an O:E ratio, generating expected mortality from a model including demographic and procedural factors. Outliers were centers whose 90% confidence intervals excluded 1. This was repeated in several subsets, to determine if these yielded outliers similar to the overall dataset. RESULTS: We identified 45,430 EGS patients. Overall, 3 high performing centers and 5 low performing centers were identified. Exclusion of appendectomies and cholecystectomies resulted in a remaining data set of 13,569 patients (29.9% of the overall data set), with 2 high performers and 5 low performers. One low performer in the limited data set was not identified in the overall set. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of 5 procedures, making up less than a third of EGS, identifies most outliers. A streamlined monitoring procedure may facilitate maintenance of an EGS registry.

Respiratory mechanics and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The association between commonly monitored respiratory parameters, including compliance and oxygenation and clinical outcomes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear, limiting prognostication and the delivery of targeted treatments. Our project aim was to identify if any such associations exist between clinical outcomes and respiratory parameters. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients admitted to a single dedicated intensive care unit at a university hospital from March 27 to April 26, 2020. We collected information on baseline clinical and demographic characteristics and initial respiratory parameters. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 22 patients met criteria for ARDS and were included in our study. Nine of the 22 (40.9%) patients with ARDS died during hospitalization. The initial static respiratory system compliance of survivors was 39 (interquartile range [IQR] 34, 55) and nonsurvivors was 27 (IQR 24, 33, P < 0.01). A lower respiratory system compliance was associated with an increased adjusted odd of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.01, 1.45 P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: In our cohort of 22 patients mechanically ventilated with ARDS from COVID-19, having lower respiratory system compliance after intubation was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, consistent with ARDS from non-COVID etiologies.

Bang for the buck: The impact of political financial contributions on firearm law.

BACKGROUND: One hundred thousand Americans are shot annually, and 39,000 die. State laws restricting firearm sales and use have been shown to decrease firearm deaths, yet little is known about what impacts their passage or repeal. We hypothesized that spending by groups that favor firearm restrictive legislation would increase new state firearm restrictive laws (FRLs) and that states increasing these laws would endure fewer firearm deaths. METHODS: We acquired 2013 to 2018 state data on spending by groups against firearm restrictive legislation and for firearm restrictive legislation regarding lobbying, campaign, and independent and total expenditures from the National Institute on Money in State Politics. State-level political party representation data were acquired from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Mass shooting data were obtained from the Mass Shooter Database of the Violence Project, and firearm death rates were obtained from Centers for Disease Control Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research and Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting databases. Firearm restrictive laws were obtained from the State Firearms Law Database. A univariate panel linear regression with fixed effect for state was performed with change in FRLs from baseline as the outcome. A final multivariable panel regression with fixed effect for state was then used. Firearm death rates were compared by whether states increased, decreased, or had no change in FRLs. RESULTS: Twenty-two states gained and 13 lost FRLs, while 15 states had no net change (44%, 26%, and 30%; p = 0.484). In multivariable regression accounting for partisan control of state government, for-firearm restrictive legislation groups outspending against-firearm restrictive legislation groups had the largest association with increased FRLs (ß = 1.420; 95% confidence interval, 0.63-2.21; p < 0.001). States that gained FRLs had significantly lower firearm death rates (p < 0.001). Relative to states with no change in FRLs, states that lost FRLs had an increase in overall firearm death of 1 per 100,000 individuals. States that gained FRLs had a net decrease in median overall firearm death of 0.5 per 100,000 individuals. CONCLUSION: Higher political spending by groups in favor of restrictive firearm legislation has a powerful association with increasing and maintaining FRLs. States that increased their FRLs, in turn, showed lower firearm death rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiological, level I.