Gender-specific differences in therapy and laboratory parameters and validation of mortality predictors in severely injured patients--results of a German level 1 trauma center.

PURPOSE: Gender-specific differences in trauma patients have been reported in several studies. There is a lack of knowledge about differences in therapy and laboratory parameters. The objective of this study is to analyze differences between genders, confirming the therapy and laboratory parameters. Additionally, predictors for mortality were validated. METHODS: Patients on primary admission to the hospital between 2002 and 2012 with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16 were included. 1073 patients met the inclusion criteria. Comparisons and matched-pair analyses between deceased and survived females, males, and between deceased females and males were conducted. RESULTS: The analyzed laboratory parameters differed between genders, especially the base excess, lactate, and coagulation parameters. In particular, females presented values that were normal or only slightly pathological. The prothrombin ratio was 75.3% in female and 63.2% in male (p = 0.027) and lactate 2.5 mmol/l in female and 3.8 mmol/l in male (p = 0.049). No differences between genders could be found in the initial treatment of severely injured patients. Only the infused volume differed between genders with 1178.2 ml in male and 793.6 ml in female (p = 0.02). The known predictors for mortality, lactate, and prothrombin ratio could not be validated in female trauma patients. CONCLUSIONS: No gender differences, except the infused volume, in the treatment of severely injured patients could be found. Differences in laboratory tests, especially base excess, lactate, and coagulation parameters were found. As these parameters are also used as predictors of mortality in trauma patients, gender-specific cut-offs of these laboratory tests might be necessary to avoid underestimating injured women.

Prehospital fluid management of abdominal organ trauma patients--a matched pair analysis.

PURPOSE: Severe bleeding after trauma frequently leads to a poor outcome. Prehospital fluid replacement therapy is considered an important primary treatment option. We conducted a retrospective matched pair analysis to assess the influence of prehospital fluid replacement volume on the clinical course of patients with solid abdominal organ trauma. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 51,425 patients in TraumaRegister DGU® of the German Trauma Society. Inclusion criteria were as follows: injury severity score ≥ 16 points, primary admission, age ≥ 16 years, no isolated brain injury, transfusion of at least one unit of packed red blood cells (pRBCs), and systolic blood pressure ≥ 20 mmHg at the accident site. The patients were divided into "low-volume" (0-1000 ml) and "high-volume" (≥ 1,500 ml) groups according to the matched pair criteria. In each group, 68 patients met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Higher volume in fluid replacement was associated with increased need for transfusion (pRBCs: low-volume: 7.71 units, high-volume: 9.16 units; p = 0.074) and with by trend reduced clotting ability (prothrombin time: low-volume: 71.47 %, high-volume: 66.47 %; p = 0.27). The percentage of patients in shock (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg) upon admission was equal in the two groups (25.0 %; p = 1). The mortality rate was discretely higher in the high-volume group (low-volume: 11.8 %, high-volume: 19.1 %; p = 0.089). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive prehospital fluid replacement is able to lead in an increased mortality rate in patients with solid abdominal organ injury. Our results support the concept of restrained fluid replacement in the preclinical treatment of severe trauma patients.

Coagulation management of bleeding trauma patients is changing in German trauma centers: an analysis from the trauma registry of the German Society for Trauma Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Recent findings have emphasized the need for early and aggressive coagulation support in bleeding trauma patients. This study aimed to examine whether blood component transfusion and hemostatic drug administration during acute trauma care have changed in daily practice during the recent years. METHODS: The multicenter trauma registry of the German Society for Trauma was retrospectively analyzed for primarily admitted patients older than 16 years with an Injury Severity Score ≥ 16 who had received at least five red blood cell (RBC) units between emergency room arrival and intensive care unit admission. Administration of fresh frozen plasma and platelet units has been documented since 2002, and use of hemostatic drugs since 2005. RESULTS: From 2002 until 2009 (n = 2,813), the fresh frozen plasma:RBC ratio increased from 0.65 to 0.75 (p = 0.02) and the platelet:RBC ratio from 0.04 to 0.09 (p < 0.0001). A constant increase was also observed regarding the overall use of hemostatic drugs (n = 1,811; 2005-2009) as these were administered to 43.4% of the patients in 2005 and to 60.7% in 2009 (p < 0.0001). Especially, the administration of fibrinogen concentrate (2005: 17.0%, 2009: 45.6%; p < 0.0001) and recombinant factor VIIa (2005: 1.9%, 2009: 6.3%; p = 0.04) showed a marked increase. However, mortality rates remained unchanged during the 8-year study period. CONCLUSIONS: The therapy of bleeding trauma patients has changed in Germany during the recent years toward more aggressive coagulation support. This development continues although grades of evidence are still low regarding most of the changes reported in our study. Randomized controlled trials are needed with respect to blood component therapy using predefined ratios and to the administration of hemostatic drugs commonly used for the severely injured.

Influence of prehospital fluid resuscitation on patients with multiple injuries in hemorrhagic shock in patients from the DGU trauma registry.

BACKGROUND: Severe bleeding as a result of trauma frequently leads to poor outcome by means of direct or delayed mechanisms. Prehospital fluid therapy is still regarded as the main option of primary treatment in many rescue situations. Our study aimed to assess the influence of prehospital fluid replacement on the posttraumatic course of severely injured patients in a retrospective analysis of matched pairs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed data from 35,664 patients recorded in the Trauma Registry of the German Society for Trauma Surgery (DGU). The following patients were selected: patients having an Injury Severity Score >16 points, who were ≥16 years of age, with trauma, excluding those with craniocerebral injuries, who were admitted directly to the participating hospitals from the accident site. All patients had recorded values for replaced volume and blood pressure, hemoglobin concentration, and units of packed red blood cells given. The patients were matched based on similar blood pressure characteristics, age groups, and type of accident to create pairs. Pairs were subdivided into two groups based on the volumes infused prior to hospitalization: group 1: 0-1500 (low), group 2: ≥2000 mL (high) volume. RESULTS: We identified 1351 pairs consistent with the inclusion criteria. Patients in group 2 received significantly more packed red blood cells (group 1: 6.9 units, group 2: 9.2 units; P=0.001), they had a significantly reduced capacity of blood coagulation (prothrombin ratio: group 1: 72%, group 2: 61.4%; P≤0.001), and a lower hemoglobin value on arrival at hospital (group 1: 10.6 mg/dL, group 2: 9.1 mg/dL; P≤0.001). The number of ICU-free days concerning the first 30 days after trauma was significantly higher in group 1 (group 1: 11.5 d, group 2: 10.1 d; P≤0.001). By comparison, the rate of sepsis was significantly lower in the first group (group 1: 13.8%, group 2: 18.6%; P=0.002); the same applies to organ failure (group 1: 36.0%, group 2: 39.2%; P≤0.001). CONCLUSION: The high amounts of intravenous fluid replacement was related to early traumatic coagulopathy, organ failure, and sepsis rate.

Pancreatic injury in 284 patients with severe abdominal trauma: outcome, course, and treatment algorithm.

PURPOSE: The relevance of pancreatic trauma in severely injured patients within a large collective has not been thoroughly analyzed yet. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of pancreatic trauma in relation to the outcome and the currently established algorithm of treatment. METHODS: Some 51,425 patients from the Trauma Register of the German Society of Trauma Surgery (TR DGU) (1993-2009) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients with an "injury severity score" ≥16, direct admission to a trauma center and subsequent treatment for at least 3 days, age ≥16, and an abdominal injury [abbreviated injury scale (AIS)(abdomen) ≥2] were included. Patients with abdominal trauma (AIS(abdomen) ≥2) were compared with patients with an additional pancreatic trauma (AIS(pancreas) 2-5). RESULTS: Of 51,425 patients, 9,268 (18%) had documented abdominal injuries. Two hundred eighty-four (3.1%) patients with abdominal injury additionally showed a pancreatic injury (AIS(abdomen) ≥2, AIS(pancreas) 2-5) and were analyzed in dependency of the classification of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) organ severity score. AAST-pancreas: II°, 1.9%; III°, 0.6%; IV°, 0.3%; and V°, 0.2%. Patients with leading pancreatic injury (grades IV and V) thereby showed a significant increase of mortality (IV°, 30.0% and V°, 33.3%) and an increase of the need for surgical intervention (IV°, 80.6% and V°: 81.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The results presented here show the prevalence and the outcome of pancreas injury in a large collective within the TR DGU for the first time. Based on the current literature and the findings, a treatment algorithm has been developed.

Extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis in aseptic loosening after total hip replacement.

Particle-induced osteolysis is a major cause of aseptic loosening after total joint replacement. The purpose of the current study was to identify various apoptosis-related pathways in the cellular response to wear debris. Fas receptor, BAK and caspase-3 cleaved were evaluated immunohistochemically in capsules and interface membranes from patients with aseptic hip implant loosening. Moreover, we investigated local cellular proliferation, documented by the presence of Ki-67, to evaluate the proportion of apoptosis in relation to the proliferation in the different cells. We detected a strong expression of caspase-3 cleaved, Fas and BAK in macrophages, giant cells and T-lymphocytes. The fibroblasts showed caspase-3 cleaved and BAK, but no Fas staining. Demonstrated by Ki-67 staining, we found increased proliferation of macrophages and fibroblasts. Statistical analysis showed a significant positive correlation (p<0.001) between the above mentioned results and the presence of wear debris. The intensity of apoptosis and proliferation differed, depending on the extent of osteolysis. Overall, four different patterns of immunoreactivity were identified. We think, however, that in particle-induced osteolysis apoptosis is pathologically increased - a phenomenon also seen in other diseases. In these instances, the number and degree of apoptotic reactions are so great that the resulting cell remains cannot be completely removed. This leads to an increased excretion of fibrogenic mediators that could be responsible for increased proliferation of fibroblasts in spite of the increased apoptosis. Moreover, it leads to an increased excretion of cytokines which could be responsible for the activation of osteoclasts.

Surface complex characteristics of synthetic maghemite and hematite in aqueous suspensions.

The acid-base properties of the maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3)/water and hematite (alpha-Fe2O3)/water interfaces have been studied by means of high precision potentiometric titrations and the experimental results are evaluated as surface complexation reactions. Synthetic maghemite and hematite were prepared and characterized using a combination of SEM, FT-IR and XRD. The specific surface area of the minerals was determined by the BET method. The titrations were performed at 25.0+/-0.2 degrees C within the range 2.8