Introduction
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Do patients defined as polytraumatized according to the New Berlin Definition show different clinical characteristics, trauma mechanisms or different injury characteristics?
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Are there any potential prognostic factors especially for the late-phase survival of these polytraumatized patients?
Methods
Inclusion criteria
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severely injured patients with an ISS > 16 points as well as an AIS > 3 in one body region and at least 2 or more different body regions affected (n = 80) and
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polytraumatized patients that were classified according to the New Berlin Definition (n = 93): AIS > 3 points for two or more different body regions with the addition of at least one of five standardized physiological conditions (hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg), unconsciousness (GCS score < 8), acidosis (BE < − 6.0), coagulopathy (aPTT > 40 s or INR > 1.4) or age (> 70 years).
Statistical analysis
Results
Study population
Polytraumatized Patients (n = 93) | Severely Injured Patients (n = 80) | p value | |
---|---|---|---|
Gender | |||
Women | 21 (22.6%) | 26 (32.5%) | 0.144 |
Men | 72 (77.4%) | 54 (67.5%) | |
ISS | 35 (18–75) | 28 (17–75) | < 0.001* |
Age | 47 (18–93) | 43 (18–90) | 0.286 |
Trauma mechanism | |||
Motor vehicle accident | 60 (64.5%) | 56 (70%) | 0.693 |
Fall from greater height | 22 (23.7%) | 16 (20%) | |
Fall from lesser height | 6 (6.5%) | 2 (2.5%) | |
Penetrating injury | 4 (4.3%) | 5 (6.3%) | |
Other mechanism | 1 (1.1%) | 1 (1.3%) | |
Severe TBI (AIS ≥ 3) | 56 (60.2%) | 38 (47.5%) | 0.094 |
Thoracic injury | 88 (94.6%) | 64 (80%) | 0.003* |
Abdominal injury | 45 (48.4%) | 32 (40%) | 0.268 |
Pelvic injury | 36 (38.7%) | 14 (17.5%) | 0.002* |
Acute-phase mortality | 17 (18.3%) | 5 (6.3%) | 0.018* |
Late-phase mortality | 18 (19.4%) | 3 (3.8%) | 0.002* |
Overall mortality | 35 (37.6%) | 8 (10%) | < 0.001* |