Reduced mortality by meeting guideline criteria before using recombinant activated factor VII in severe trauma patients with massive bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Management of trauma patients with severe bleeding has led to criteria before considering use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa), including haemoglobin >8 g dl-1, serum fibrinogen ≥1.0 g l-1, platelets >50,000 x 109 l-1, arterial pH ≥ 7.20, and body temperature ≥34 °C. We hypothesized that meeting these criteria is associated with improved outcomes. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study of 26 French trauma centres, subjects were included if they received rFVIIa for persistent massive bleeding despite appropriate care after severe blunt and/or penetrating trauma. RESULTS: After surgery and/or embolization as haemostatic interventions, 112 subjects received a first dose of 103 µg kg-1 rFVIIa (82-200) (median, 25th-75th percentile) at 420 min (285-647) post-trauma. Of these, 71 (63%) "responders" were still alive at 24h post-trauma and had their transfusion requirements reduced by > 2 packed red blood cell units after rFVIIa treatment. Mortality was 54% on day 30 post-trauma. There were 21%, 44% and 35% subjects who fulfilled 0-1, 2-3 or 4-5, respectively, of the guidelines before receiving rFVIIa. Survival at day 30 was 13%, 49% and 64% and the proportion of responders was 39%, 64% and 82%, when subjects fulfilled 0-1, 2-3 or 4-5 conditions, respectively (both P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In actively bleeding trauma patients, meeting guideline criteria before considering rFVIIa was associated with lower mortality and a higher proportion of responders to the rFVIIa.

[Interpretation of chest radiographs in the intensive care unit: a hard- versus soft-copy comparative study]. / Interprétation des clichés thoraciques en réanimation chirurgicale: étude comparative film/écran.

PURPOSE: To compare the reliability of hard- versus soft-copy interpretation of intensive care unit chest radiographs, using a non-specialized standard resolution computer screen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 104 chest radiographs were included in this study. Three physicians (one radiology resident, one intensive care unit resident and one experienced intensive care unit physician) gave their interpretations on computerized grids. Results were analyzed statistically using ROC curves and Kappa (kappa) index of concordance with experts. RESULTS: Results for reanimation equipment detection are almost independent from the modality (kappa(soft-copy)=0.891+/-0.037, kappa(hard-copy)=0.899+/-0.037). Regarding pathology detection, a global analysis only shows a difference at the limits of significance to the advantage of hard-copy films (kappa(soft)=0.514 +/-0.028, kappa(hard)=0.572+/-0.028). Overall results were significantly better for the radiologist compared to the intensive care unit physicians (kappa(radiologist)=0.751+/-0.048, kappa(intensive-care)=0.405+/-0.048). CONCLUSION: Concerning the task that is studied here, which requires only routine computer equipment, our results suggest that human factors can be more important than material factors.

[Assessment of an educational maze for major trauma care teaching]. / Évaluation d'un labyrinthe pédagogique pour l'enseignement de la traumatologie grave.

BACKGROUND: Assess efficacy, satisfaction and usefulness of an educational maze based on posters and audioguide for major trauma care teaching to medical students. The educational maze consists of posters with audio comments recorded in an audioguide. This tool was part of a larger educational program including medical simulation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, interventional, observational, monocentric study. STUDENT: Medical student of Grenoble University Hospital, in the four last years of medical school, following a training course in anesthesia, emergency medical services and intensive care units. METHOD: Forty essentials key messages for major trauma management were included in 10 posters and audioguides. A first assessment with short opened answers was handed to the students at the end of the educational maze to assess their memorization. A second assessment with simple choice answers regarding satisfaction and usefulness of this new educational tool was realized at the end of the entire program. RESULT: One hundred and eighty-four medical students attending the major trauma program were included in this study. On the first test, 75% of essential knowledge on major trauma management was memorized by more than 50% of the medical students. On the second test, 94% of medical students had a high satisfaction level of this educational maze. CONCLUSION: An educational maze based on posters and audioguides seems to be an efficient, useful tool for teaching essential knowledge on major trauma management to medical students.

[Hazards of therapeutic hypothermia]. / Les dangers de l'hypothermie thérapeutique.

Therapeutic hypothermia (less than 35 degrees C) is a promising strategy to improve neuroprotection after severe brain injury. Except in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest, its effectiveness has not yet been demonstrated. Therapeutic hypothermia results in various side effects, including cardiovascular, hydroelectrolytic and infectious disorders, which could explain, in part, the lack of conclusive clinical studies. These hazards are associated with practical difficulties to induce and maintain targeted hypothermia and with rewarming management. An improvement in the techniques for achieving targeted hypothermia, more knowledge about side effects and further randomized clinical trials are needed before recommending the use of therapeutic hypothermia for patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

[Can serum protein S100beta predict neurological deterioration after moderate or minor traumatic brain injury?]. / Peut-on prédire l'aggravation neurologique des patients traumatisés crâniens mineurs et modérés par le dosage sanguin de la protéine S-100beta?

INTRODUCTION: Patients with moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) (Glasgow Coma Scale, GCS, 9-13) or minor TBI (GCS 14-15) are at risk for subsequent neurological deterioration. Serum protein S-100 is believed to reflect brain damage following TBI. In patients with normal or minor CT scan abnormalities on admission, we tested whether the determination of serum protein S-100 beta could predict secondary neurological deterioration. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with moderate or minor TBI were prospectively studied. Serum samples were collected on admission within 12 hours postinjury to measure serum protein S-100 levels. Neurological outcome was assessed up to seven days after trauma. Secondary neurological deterioration was defined as two points or more decrease from the initial GCS, or any treatment for neurological deterioration. RESULTS: Nine patients had a secondary neurological deterioration after trauma. No differences in serum levels of protein S-100 were found between these patients and those without neurological aggravation (n=58 patients): 0.93 microg/l (0.14-4.85) vs 0.39 microg/l (0.04-6.40), respectively. The proportion of patients with abnormal levels of serum protein S-100 at admission according to two admitted cut-off levels (>0.1 and >0.5 microg/l) was comparable between the two groups of patients. Elevated serum levels of protein S-100 were found in patients with Injury Severity Score (ISS) of more than 16 (n=23 patients): 1.26 microg/l (0.14-6.40) vs 0.22 microg/l (0.04-6.20) in patients with ISS less than 16 (n=44 patients). DISCUSSION: The dosage of serum protein S-100 on admission failed to predict patients at risk for neurological deterioration after minor or moderate TBI. Extracranial injuries can increase serum protein S-100 levels, then limiting the usefulness of this dosage in this clinical setting.