Do Autopsies Still Matter? The Influence of Autopsy Data on Final Injury Severity Score Calculations.

BACKGROUND: Despite a proven record of identifying injuries missed during clinical evaluation, the effect of autopsy on injury severity score (ISS) calculation is unknown. We hypothesized that autopsy data would alter final ISS and improve the accuracy of outcome data analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All trauma deaths from January 2010 through June 2014 were reviewed. Trauma registrars calculated Abbreviated Injury Scale and ISS from clinical documentation alone. The most detailed available autopsy report then was reviewed, and AIS/ISS recalculated. Predictors of ISS change were identified using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Seven hundred thirty-nine deaths occurred, of which 682 (92.3%) underwent autopsy (31% view-only, 3% with preliminary report, and 66% with full report). Patients undergoing full autopsy had a lower median age (39 versus 74 years, P < 0.01), a higher rate of penetrating injury (41.7% versus 0%, P < 0.01), and a higher emergency department mortality rate (30.8% versus 0%, P < 0.01) than those receiving view-only autopsy. Incorporating autopsy findings increased mean ISS (21.3 to 29.6, P < 0.001) and the percentage of patients with ISS ≥ 25 (49.9% to 69.2%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified length of stay, death in the emergency department, full rather than view-only autopsy, and presenting heart rate as variables associated with ISS increase. CONCLUSIONS: Autopsy data significantly increased ISS values for trauma deaths. This effect was greatest in patients who died early in their course. Targeting this group, rather than all trauma patients, for full autopsy may improve risk-adjustment accuracy while minimizing costs.

Impact of Early Oral Antibiotic Therapy in Infants With Bacteremic Urinary Tract Infections.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of early conversion to oral antibiotics in infants ≤90 days with gram-negative bacteremia and concomitant urinary tract infection on hospital length of stay (LOS) and 30-day revisits for urinary tract infection. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included infants ≤ 90 days who had concomitant positive blood and urine cultures with gram-negative bacteremia at 22 hospitals from January 1, 2002 through January 31, 2020. Early oral conversion was defined as a maximum intravenous (IV) duration of 4 days. We conducted a noninferiority test to compare early oral conversion to long IV therapy. A propensity score framework was used to assess comparisons in survey-weighted regression models using matched weights. RESULTS: Among 174 infants, 73 infants received early oral conversion. The LOS was shorter in infants receiving early oral conversion compared to long IV therapy (median 2 days [interquartile range 2, 3] vs 4 days [3, 5]), descriptively (P < .001) and in noninferiority analysis (ratio = 0.43; 90% CI 0.35, 0.53, P < .001). Thirty-day revisits occurred in 5 of 174 (2.8%) of total patients. Early oral conversion did not meet our noninferiority criteria for the 30-day revisits (odds ratio: 4.22, 90%; confidence interval: 0.83, 21.34, P = .91). CONCLUSIONS: Early oral conversion was associated with shorter LOS. The rate of 30-day revisit rates overall was low.

Follow-Up Blood Cultures in Young Infants With Bacteremic Urinary Tract Infections.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Researchers in previous studies suggest that the clinical yield of follow-up blood cultures (FUBCs) is low in infants with bacteremic urinary tract infection (UTI) because persistent bacteremia is rare; however, no researchers have analyzed the practice of routinely obtaining FUBCs. In our study, we evaluate outcomes in infants with FUBCs, examine opportunities for improvement of blood culture practices, and add important information to inform both clinical practice as well as further study. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included infants <90 days of age with bacteremia and UTI with the same pathogen at 22 hospitals that make up Intermountain Healthcare between 2002 to 2020. Infants with culture proven meningitis, osteomyelitis, central line infection, and infections occurring during NICU hospitalization were excluded. RESULTS: Total number of patients with bacteremic UTI was 174, 153 (88%) patients had at least 1 FUBC, 14 of 153 (9%) had a positive FUBC with same organism, and 4 of 153 (3%) were contaminants. The length of stay was longer for patients with positive FUBCs. Patients with Escherichia coli are more likely to have a negative FUBC. Readmissions within 30 days were similar among infants with positive FUBCs, negative FUBCs, and no FUBCs. CONCLUSIONS: FUBCs in infants with bacteremic UTI should not be routinely performed, especially for E coli, and it is unclear whether FUBCs improve outcomes.

The impact of the AIS 2005 revision on injury severity scores and clinical outcome measures.

BACKGROUND: The abbreviated injury scale (AIS) was updated in 2005 from the AIS 1998 version. The purpose of this study is to describe the effects of this change on injury severity scoring and outcome measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analyses were performed on all trauma patients consecutively admitted over a 6-month period at two geographically separate Level I trauma centers. Injuries were manually double-coded according to the AIS 05 and the AIS 98. Changes in AIS, ISS, and new ISS (NISS) were analysed using paired t-tests. Apparent differences in outcome by ISS strata (<16, 16-24, >24) were compared for AIS 05 versus AIS 98 using the Wald-type statistic. Lastly, the percent of patients with a change in ISS strata are reported. RESULTS: There were 2250 patients included in the study. Nearly half (46.4%) of AIS codes changed, resulting in a different AIS score for 18.9% of all codes. The mean ISS was significantly lower using the AIS 05 (11.7) versus the AIS 98 (13.3, p<0.001). Similarly, the mean NISS was significantly lower (16.3 versus 18.7, p<0.001). In the ISS strata 16-24 an apparent increase in mortality, length of stay, and percent of patients not discharged home was observed for the AIS 05 versus AIS 98. Changes in outcome measures for this stratum were as follows (AIS 98 versus AIS 05): mortality, 4.3% versus 7.7% (p=0.002); hospital length of stay, 5.2 days versus 7.3 days (p<0.001); percent of patients not discharged home, 39.2% versus 49.3% (p<0.001). Finally, there was a 20.5% reduction in patients with an ISS>or=16 and a 26.2% reduction in patients with an ISS>or=25 using the AIS 05. CONCLUSIONS: The AIS revision had a significant impact on overall injury severity measures, clinical outcome measures, and percent of patients in each ISS strata. Therefore, the AIS revision affects the ability to directly compare data generated using AIS 05 and AIS 98 which has implications in trauma research, reimbursement and ACS accreditation.