Characteristics and comparative study of thoracolumbar spine injury and dislocation fracture due to tertiary trauma.

PURPOSE: Thoracolumbar spine injury is frequently seen with high-energy trauma but dislocation fractures are relatively rare in spinal trauma, which is often neurologically severe and requires urgent treatment. Therefore, it is essential to understand other concomitant injuries when treating dislocation fractures. The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in clinical features between thoracolumbar spine injury without dislocation and thoracolumbar dislocation fracture. METHODS: We conducted an observational study using the Japan Trauma Data Bank (2004-2019). A total of 734 dislocation fractures (Type C) and 32,382 thoracolumbar spine injuries without dislocation (Non-type C) were included in the study. The patient background, injury mechanism, and major complications in both groups were compared. In addition, multivariate analysis of predictors of the diagnosis of dislocation fracture using logistic regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: Items significantly more frequent in Type C than in Non-type C were males, hypotension, bradycardia, percentage of complete paralysis, falling objects, pincer pressure, accidents during sports, and thoracic artery injury (P < 0.001); items significantly more frequent in Non-type C than in Type C were falls and traffic accidents, head injury, and pelvic trauma (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that younger age, male, complete paralysis, bradycardia, and hypotension were associated with dislocation fracture. CONCLUSION: Five associated factors were identified in the development of thoracolumbar dislocation fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Mortality of hospital walk-in trauma patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To investigate the characteristics of patients who visited the emergency department by themselves after experiencing trauma and subsequently died, and to identify the prognostic factors of mortality in such patients. Methods: Adult patients with trauma visiting the emergency department by themselves between 2004 and 2019 in Japan were identified using a nationwide trauma registry (the Japan Trauma Data Bank). The characteristics of patients who died were compared with those who survived, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent association of each preselected variable with in-hospital mortality (end-point). Results: Of the 9753 patients eligible for analysis, 4369 (44.8%) were men, and the median age was 75 years. Of these patients, 130 (1.3%) died in the hospital. The following factors had a significant association with in-hospital mortality: age, male sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) 3-4 and ≥5 with CCI = 0 as a reference, circumstances of injury (free fall and fall at ground level), Glasgow Coma Scale score, Shock Index ≥ 0.9, severe injuries of the head, abdomen and lower extremities, and Injury Severity Score ≥ 15. Conclusions: Several risk factors, including older age, male sex, higher CCI, circumstances of injury (free fall and fall at ground level), lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, higher Shock Index, and severe injuries of the head, abdomen, and lower extremities, were identified as being associated with the death of trauma patients visiting the emergency department by themselves. Early identification of patients with these risk factors and appropriate treatment may reduce mortality posttrauma.

Intestinal evisceration and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia due to ruptured umbilical hernia in a patient with liver cirrhosis: a case report and literature review.

Rupture of umbilical hernias is a potentially life-threatening condition that can occur in cirrhotic patients due to ascites. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports on bacteremia following intestinal evisceration due to a ruptured umbilical hernia. Herein, we report a case of a 42-year-old female with a history of complicated alcoholic liver cirrhosis and schizophrenia who presented with intestinal evisceration and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia secondary to a ruptured umbilical hernia. Due to a 2-day delay from presentation to hospitalization, the patient had a high risk for infection with skin flora. Initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy, prompt surgical repair and adequate postoperative control of ascites markedly improved the patient's condition. In cases of prolonged intestinal evisceration in adults with a ruptured umbilical hernia, bacteremia treatment with antibiotics coverage for skin flora should be considered.

Association of the COVID-19 pandemic with bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a population-based analysis in Tokyo, Japan.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether rates of bystander CPR and patient outcomes changed during the initial state of emergency declared in Tokyo for the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This retrospective study used data from a population-based database of OHCA maintained by the Tokyo Fire Department. By comparing data from the periods before (18 February to 6 April 2020) and during the declaration of a state of emergency (7 April 2020 to 25 May 2020), we estimated the change in bystander CPR rate, prehospital return of spontaneous circulation, and survival and neurological outcomes 1 month after OHCA, accounting for outcome trends in 2019. We performed a multivariate regression analysis to evaluate the potential mechanisms for associations between the state of emergency and these outcomes. RESULTS: The witnessed arrest rates before and after the declaration periods in 2020 were 42.5% and 45.1%, respectively, compared with 44.1% and 44.7% in the respective corresponding periods in 2019. The difference between the two periods in 2020 was not statistically significant when the trend in 2019 was considered. The bystander CPR rates before and after the declaration periods significantly increased from 34.4% to 43.9% in 2020, an 8.3% increase after adjusting for the trend in 2019. This finding was significant even after adjusting for patient and bystander characteristics and the emergency medical service response. There were no significant differences between the two periods in the other study outcomes. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an improvement in the bystander CPR rate in Tokyo, while patient outcomes were maintained. Pandemic-related changes in patient and bystander characteristics do not fully explain the underlying mechanism; there may be other mechanisms through which the community response to public emergency increased during the pandemic.

Systemic capillary leak syndrome requiring fasciotomy for limb compartment syndrome: A case report and literature review.

Background: Limb compartment syndrome (LCS), a rare but serious complication of systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS)-related systemic edema, warrants prompt decompressive fasciotomy. We report a case of SCLS complicated by LCS of four extremities requiring emergent fasciotomies; furthermore, we reviewed existing published reports on SCLS with LCS. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old man was diagnosed with SCLS based on profound vascular permeability with no other underlying conditions. Within a few hours of admission, LCS was noted in the patient's lower legs and thighs and he was treated using decompressive fasciotomy. Additional forearm fasciotomy was subsequently carried out. After fluid management, vasopressor support, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, the patient was discharged without any neuromuscular deficits caused by LCS. Literature review suggested that lower legs are prone to LCS in patients with SCLS. Conclusion: Limb compartment syndrome is a serious complication that clinicians must be aware of and requires prompt decompressive fasciotomy.

Hyperoxia Is Not Associated With 30-day Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients Who Undergo Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Introduction: The appropriate arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between hyperoxia and 30-day survival in patients who underwent ECPR. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2018. OHCA patients who underwent ECPR were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were (1) age <18 years, (2) death within 24 h after admission, (3) return of spontaneous circulation at hospital arrival, and (4) hypoxia (PaO2 < 60 mmHg) 24 h after admission. Based on PaO2 at 24 h after admission, patients were classified into normoxia (60 mmHg ≤ PaO2 ≤ 100 mmHg), mild hyperoxia (100 mmHg < PaO2 ≤ 200 mmHg), and severe hyperoxia (PaO2 > 200 mmHg) groups. The primary outcome was 30-day survival after cardiac arrest, while the secondary outcome was 30-day favorable neurological outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis for 30-day survival or 30-day favorable neurological outcome was performed using multiple propensity scores as explanatory variables. To estimate the multiple propensity score, we fitted a multinomial logistic regression model using the patients' demographic, pre-hospital, and in-hospital characteristics. Results: Of the patients who underwent ECPR in the study center, 110 were eligible for the study. The normoxia group included 29 cases, mild hyperoxia group included 46 cases, and severe hyperoxia group included 35 cases. Mild hyperoxia was not significantly associated with survival, compared with normoxia as the reference (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval: 0.30-3.68; p = 0.93). Severe hyperoxia was also not significantly associated with survival compared to normoxia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 0.27-4.12; p = 0.94). Furthermore, no association was observed between oxygenation and 30-day favorable neurological outcomes. Conclusions: There was no significant association between hyperoxia at 24 h after admission and 30-day survival in OHCA patients who underwent ECPR.

A new screening model for quantitative risk assessment of blunt thoracic aortic injury.

PURPOSE: Early identification of blunt thoracic aortic injury is vital for preventing subsequent aortic rupture. However, risk factors for blunt thoracic aortic injury remain unclear, and a prediction rule remains to be established. We developed and internally validated a new nomogram-based screening model that allows clinicians to quantify blunt thoracic aortic injury risk. METHODS: Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) with blunt injury were selected from a nationwide Japanese database (January 2004-May 2019). Patients were randomly divided into training and test cohorts. A new nomogram-based blunt thoracic aortic injury-screening model was constructed using multivariate logistic regression analysis to quantify the association of potential predictive factors with blunt thoracic aortic injury in the training cohort. RESULTS: Overall, 305,141 patients (training cohort, n = 152,570; test cohort, n = 152,571) were eligible for analysis. Median patient age was 65 years, and 60.9% were men. Multivariate analysis in the training cohort revealed that 13 factors (positive association: age ≥ 55 years, male sex, high-energy impact, hypotension on hospital arrival, Glasgow Coma Scale score < 9 on hospital arrival, diaphragmatic injuries, hepatic injuries, pulmonary injuries, cardiac injuries, renal injuries, sternum fractures, multiple rib fractures, and pelvic fractures) were significantly associated with blunt thoracic aortic injury and included in the screening model. In the test cohort, the new screening model had an area under the curve of 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel nomogram-based screening model aids in the quantitative assessment of blunt thoracic aortic injury risk. This model may improve tailored decision-making for each patient.

Evaluation of initial shockable rhythm as an indicator of short no-flow time in cardiac arrest: a national registry study.

BACKGROUND: The duration from collapse to initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (no-flow time) is one of the most important determinants of outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Initial shockable cardiac rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia) is reported to be a marker of short no-flow time; however, there is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of initial shockable cardiac rhythm on treatment decisions. We investigated the association between initial shockable cardiac rhythm and the no-flow time and evaluated whether initial shockable cardiac rhythm can be a marker of short no-flow time in patients with OHCA. METHODS: Patients aged 18 years and older experiencing OHCA between 2010 and 2016 were selected from a nationwide population-based Japanese database. The association between the no-flow time duration and initial shockable cardiac rhythm was evaluated. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value. RESULTS: A total of 177 634 patients were eligible for the analysis. The median age was 77 years (58.3%, men). Initial shockable cardiac rhythm was recorded in 11.8% of the patients. No-flow time duration was significantly associated with lower probability of initial shockable cardiac rhythm, with an adjusted OR of 0.97 (95% CI 0.96 to 0.97) per additional minute. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of initial shockable cardiac rhythm to identify a no-flow time of <5 min were 0.12 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.12), 0.88 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.89) and 0.35 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.35), respectively. The positive predictive values were 0.90, 0.95 and 0.99 with no-flow times of 15, 18 and 28 min, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a significant association between initial shockable cardiac rhythm and no-flow time duration, initial shockable cardiac rhythm was not reliable when solely used as a surrogate of a short no-flow time duration after OHCA.

Hospital Volume-Outcome Relationship in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Nationwide Observational Study in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The hospital volume-outcome relationship in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unclear. This study investigated the association between the volume of patients with severe TBI and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This observational study identified patients with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score <9 and Abbreviated Injury Scale head score ≥3) from the Japan Trauma Databank (2010-2018). Hospitals were grouped on the basis of annual patient volume as follows: low-volume (4-19 patients/year); middle-volume (20-35 patients/year); and high-volume (36-51 patients/year) groups. The association between hospital volume categories and in-hospital mortality was examined using a multivariate mixed-effect logistic regression analysis. A subgroup analysis was performed based on the presence of severe extracranial injuries. RESULTS: A total of 11,344 patients from 64 hospitals were included. The median age of the patients was 57 years (interquartile range, 40-77), and 7933 (70.0%) patients were men. A total of 4879 (43.1%) patients died in the hospital. The medium-volume (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.93) and high-volume (adjusted OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52-0.94) groups were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality. The subgroup analysis revealed that the medium-volume (adjusted OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54-0.92) and high-volume (adjusted OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42-0.96) groups were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality for isolated TBI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Higher hospital volumes were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality after severe TBI. Regionalization and referral to higher-volume hospitals are beneficial for severe TBI patients.

External validation of simplified out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and cardiac arrest hospital prognosis scores in a Japanese population: a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The novel simplified out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (sOHCA) and simplified cardiac arrest hospital prognosis (sCAHP) scores used for prognostication of hospitalised patients have not been externally validated. Therefore, this study aimed to externally validate the sOHCA and sCAHP scores in a Japanese population. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from a prospectively maintained Japanese database (January 2012 to March 2013). We identified adult patients who had been resuscitated and hospitalised after intrinsic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) (n=2428, age ≥18 years). We validated the sOHCA and sCAHP scores with reference to the original scores in predicting 1-month unfavourable neurological outcomes (cerebral performance categories 3-5) based on the discrimination and calibration measures of area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and a Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test with a calibration plot, respectively. RESULTS: In total, 1985/2484 (82%) patients had a 1-month unfavourable neurological outcome. The original OHCA, sOHCA, original cardiac arrest hospital prognosis (CAHP) and sCAHP scores were available for 855/2428 (35%), 1359/2428 (56%), 1130/2428 (47%) and 1834/2428 (76%) patients, respectively. The AUCs of simplified scores did not differ significantly from those of the original scores, whereas the AUC of the sCAHP score was significantly higher than that of the sOHCA score (0.88 vs 0.81, p<0.001). The goodness of fit was poor in the sOHCA score (ν=8, χ2=19.1 and Hosmer-Lemeshow test: p=0.014) but not in the sCAHP score (ν=8, χ2=13.5 and Hosmer-Lemeshow test: p=0.10). CONCLUSION: The performances of the original and simplified OHCA and CAHP scores in predicting neurological outcomes in successfully resuscitated OHCA patients were acceptable. With the highest availability, similar discrimination and good calibration, the sCAHP score has promising potential for clinical implementation, although further validation studies to evaluate its clinical acceptance are necessary.

Nursing Home Versus Community Resuscitation After Cardiac Arrest: Comparative Outcomes and Risk Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics and outcomes of patients who experienced cardiac arrest in nursing homes compared with those in private residences and determine prognostic factors for survival. DESIGN: This was a retrospective study that analyzed data from an Utstein-style registry of the Tokyo Fire Department. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We identified patients aged ≥65 years who experienced cardiac arrest in a nursing home or private residence from the population-based registry of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Tokyo, Japan, from 2014 to 2018. METHODS: Patients were grouped into the nursing home or the private residence groups according to their cardiac arrest location. We compared the characteristics and outcomes between the 2 groups and determined prognostic factors for survival in the nursing home group. The primary outcome was 1-month survival after cardiac arrest. RESULTS: In total, 37,550 patient records (nursing home group = 6271; private residence group = 31,279) were analyzed. Patients in the nursing home group were significantly older and more often had witnessed arrest, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and shock delivery using an automated external defibrillator. The 1-month survival rate was significantly higher in the nursing home group (2.6% vs 1.8%, P < .001). In the best scenario (daytime emergency call, witnessed cardiac arrest, bystander CPR provided), the 1-month survival rate after cardiac arrest in the nursing home group was 8.0% (95% confidence interval 6.4-9.9%), while none survived if they had neither witness nor bystander CPR. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Survival outcome was significantly better in the nursing home group than in the private residence group and was well stratified by 3 prognostic factors: emergency call timing, witnessed status, and bystander CPR provision. Our results suggest that a decision to withhold vigorous treatment solely based on nursing home residential status is not justified, while termination of resuscitation may be determined by considering significant prognostic factors.

Urosepsis secondary to ureterosciatic hernia corrected with ureteral stent placement: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Ureterosciatic hernia is a rare type of pelvic floor herniation that occurs through the sciatic foramen. The resulting ureteral obstruction may lead to hydronephrosis and to further complications including urinary tract infection and urosepsis. There have been 30 reported cases of ureterosciatic hernia. Ureteral stenting and surgical repair have been used as treatment options. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of an 86-year-old woman who was transferred to Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital with symptoms of fever and septic shock. Her computed tomography scan revealed left hydronephrosis and deviation of the left ureter into the sciatic foramen; she was therefore diagnosed with a left ureteral sciatic hernia and admitted in our intensive care unit for further treatment with resuscitative fluids, vasopressors, and antibiotics. Following a retrograde insertion ureteral catheter insertion, ureteral incarceration was relieved, and a double-J ureteral stent was placed in situ. Antibiotic treatment was initiated, and the patient's hemodynamic status gradually improved. CONCLUSIONS: Although ureterosciatic hernia is a rare disorder, it is associated with serious complications including urinary tract infection with sepsis, which may warrant urgent corrective procedure to relieve the structural obstruction. Treatment may be conservative or surgical, though treatment with ureteral stent placement may be a favorable approach in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities presenting with urosepsis.

Invasive infection due to Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis causing endocarditis and ventriculitis: A case report.

We aim to raise awareness of the role of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) in causing endovascular and central nervous system infections, and to promote recognition of SDSE as a pathogen that may cause serious invasive infections.

Development of a risk stratification scoring system for deep vein thrombosis upon psychiatric admission.

AIM: Psychiatric patients have increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, there is no systematic data on risk assessment of DVT among psychiatric inpatients. The aim of this study was to develop a risk stratification scoring system for DVT among psychiatic patients on admission. METHODS: A systematic review of psychiatric patient's charts, who were admitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital from June 2012 to February 2016 and underwent screening for DVT, was conducted. Patients were randomly divided into development (n = 2634) and validation (n = 2634) groups. Estimated risk values in the multiple logistic regression model for the development sample were rounded to the nearest integer, and used as points of associated factors in the risk stratification scoring system; the total scores were tested in the validation sample. The score's discriminatory ability was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: Among the 5268 patients, 258 (4.9%) had DVT. Advancing age, female sex, active cancer, previous venous thromboembolism, transfer from a general hospital, catatonia, and major depressive episode were all significantly associated with the presence of DVT in the development sample. The total score showed good discriminatory ability in the validation sample (AUC: 0.816, 95% confidence interval: 0.781-0.851); scores of 0-1, 2-3, 4-5, and ≥ 6 were associated with very low risk (0.7%), low risk (4.6%), moderate risk (14.9%), and high risk (35%) for DVT, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our risk stratification scoring system showed good performance for detection of DVT among psychiatric patients on admission.

Effectiveness of public-access automated external defibrillators at Tokyo railroad stations.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of public-access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at Tokyo railroad stations. METHODS: We analysed data from a population-based registry of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Tokyo, Japan (2014-2018). We identified patients aged ≥18 years who experienced bystander-witnessed cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation of presumed cardiac origin at railroad stations. The primary outcome was survival at 1 month after cardiac arrest with favourable neurological outcomes (cerebral performance category 1-2). RESULTS: Among 280 eligible patients who had bystander-witnessed cardiac arrest and received defibrillation at railroad stations, 245 patients (87.5%) received defibrillation using public-access AEDs and 35 patients (12.5%) received defibrillation administered by emergency medical services (EMS). Favourable neurological outcomes at 1 month after cardiac arrest were significantly more common in the group that received defibrillation using public-access AEDs (50.2% vs. 8.6%; adjusted odds ratio: 11.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.43-88.4) than in the group that received defibrillation by EMS. Over a 5-year period, favourable neurological outcomes at 1 month after cardiac arrest of 101.9 cases (95% confidence interval: 74.5-129.4) were calculated to be solely attributable to public-access AED use. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio to gain one favourable neurological outcome obtained from public-access AEDs at railroad stations was lower than that obtained from nationwide deployment (48.5 vs. 2133.4 AED units). CONCLUSION: Deploying public-access AEDs at Tokyo railroad stations presented significant benefits and cost-effectiveness. Thus, it may be prudent to prioritise metropolitan railroad stations in public-access defibrillation programs.

Pre-existing psychiatric disorder is related to lower mortality from road traffic accident: A Japanese nationwide retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported inconsistent results on the mortality from trauma among psychiatric patients comparing to non-psychiatric population, which may be partly explained by the inclusion of both suicidal and accidental trauma. This study aimed to investigate the association of psychiatric diagnoses on admission with the outcomes of hospitalized patients for accidental trauma, namely road traffic injury. METHODS: Detailed information of patients aged 15 years or older who were hospitalized for road traffic injury between 2004 and 2017 was extracted from the Japan Trauma Data Bank. The primary outcome was to compare in-hospital mortality between patients with and without a psychiatric disorder. We also conducted a subgroup analysis among patients with and without a serious head injury. RESULTS: Altogether, 85,069 patients were included. Of these, 3,895 patients (4.6%) had a psychiatric diagnosis. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower among patients with a psychiatric diagnosis than those without (5.4% vs. 8.3%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.70, p<0.001). In a subgroup analysis of patients with a serious head injury, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with a psychiatric diagnosis than in those without (10.5% vs. 17.3%; adjusted OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.37-0.62, p<0.001); in-hospital mortality of patients without a serious head injury showed no differences between patients with or without a psychiatric diagnosis (2.8% vs. 3.5%; adjusted OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.61-1.16, p=0.295). CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital mortality from road traffic injury was significantly lower among patients with a psychiatric diagnosis than those without, which was primarily evident in a subgroup of patients with a serious head injury. While further replication is necessary, results might be indicative of the neuroprotective effect of psychotropic medications.

Older Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury in the Most Aged and Most Rapidly Aging Country: An Analysis of the Nationwide Trauma Registry of Japan.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing numbers of older adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI), minimal data are available to support the development of treatment strategies. We aimed to comprehensively describe the incidence, characteristics, outcomes, and predictive accuracy of the severity indicators among older adults with TBI. METHODS: Using the Japan Trauma Data Bank, we identified patients aged ≥18 years with TBI from 2004 to 2019. The patients were grouped according to age, and their baseline characteristics, radiological findings, severity, complications, and in-hospital mortality were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess the accuracy of severity indicators for predicting in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of the 94,180 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 50,990 (54.1%) were older adults (aged ≥65 years). Their proportion had increased at 2.1% annually, which exceeded the 0.5% annual increase in the general population. The proportion of women and the prevalence of comorbidities increased significantly with age. Traffic accidents were the leading cause of TBI among young adults, and falling at ground level was the leading cause for those aged ≥75 years. The radiological findings were significantly different among the age groups. The proportion of acute epidural hemorrhage, skull fracture, and diffuse axonal injury decreased and that of acute subdural hemorrhage increased with age. The predictive accuracy of the Glasgow coma scale, revised trauma score, and injury severity score decreased with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of older patients with TBI increased more quickly than did the proportion of older people in the general population. The characteristics and predictive accuracy of the severity indicators differed significantly among the different age groups. TBI studies that focus on older patients are necessary.

Acceptable Blood Pressure Levels in the Prehospital Setting for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicenter Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Safe blood pressure levels in the prehospital setting for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between prehospital blood pressure and the outcomes of patients with TBI to determine optimal threshold for hypotension that could be considered in the prehospital setting. METHODS: Using data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank, we identified adult patients (aged ≥18 years) who experienced severe TBI (maximum head Abbreviated Injury Severity score ≥3) and were transported directly from the scene of the blunt trauma occurrence to the hospital, between 2004 and 2019. We excluded patients with prehospital systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels of <60 and ≥160 mm Hg. Using mixed effects logistic regression models, we investigated the association between prehospital SBP and in-hospital mortality, considering the hospital ID as a random effect variable. In addition, we also conducted a stratified analysis based on age (<60 vs. ≥60 years). RESULTS: A total of 34,175 patients (16,114 aged <60 years and 18,061 aged ≥60 years) were eligible for the analyses. Plotting the adjusted odds ratios for in-hospital mortality as a function of SBP produced J-shaped curves. An SBP <110 mm Hg was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.52 (95% confidence interval: 1.39-1.65). Stratified analyses revealed that the threshold did not differ between the age groups. CONCLUSIONS: An SBP <110 mm Hg in the prehospital setting is significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality.