Citation

Callcut RA, Kornblith LZ, Conroy AS, Robles AJ, Meizoso JP, Namias N, Meyer DE, Haymaker A, Truitt MS, Agrawal V, Haan JM, Lightwine KL, Porter JM, San Roman JL, Biffl WL, Hayashi MS, Sise MJ, Badiee J, Recinos G, Inaba K, Schroeppel TJ, Callaghan E, Dunn JA, Godin S, McIntyre RC, Peltz ED, O'Neill PJ, Diven CF, Scifres AM, Switzer EE, West MA, Storrs S, Cullinane DC, Cordova JF, Moore EE, Moore HB, Privette AR, Eriksson EA, Cohen MJ. J. Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2019; 86(5): 864-870.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center Denver, Colorado University of Colorado Medical Center.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/TA.0000000000002205

PMID

30633095

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Historically, hemorrhage has been attributed as the leading cause (40%) of early death. However, a rigorous, real-time classification of the cause of death (COD) has not been performed. This study sought to prospectively adjudicate and classify COD to determine the epidemiology of trauma mortality.

METHODS: 18 trauma centers prospectively enrolled all adult trauma patients at the time of death during 12/2015-8/2017. Immediately following death, attending providers adjudicated the primary and contributing secondary COD using standardized definitions. Data were confirmed by autopsies, if performed.

RESULTS: 1536 patients were enrolled with a median age of 55 (IQR 32-75). 74.5% were male. Penetrating mechanism (n=412) patients were younger (32 vs 64, p<0.0001) and more likely male (86.7% vs. 69.9%, p<0.0001). Falls were the most common mechanism of injury (26.6%), with GSWs second (24.3%). The most common overall primary COD was TBI (45%), followed by exsanguination (23%). TBI was non-survivable in 82.2% of cases. Blunt patients were more likely to have TBI (47.8% vs. 37.4%, p<0.0001) and penetrating patients exsanguination (51.7% vs 12.5%, p<0.0001) as the primary COD. Exsanguination was the predominant prehospital (44.7%) and early COD (39.1%) with TBI most common later. Penetrating mechanism patients died earlier with 80.1% on day 0 (vs. 38.5%, p<0.0001). Most deaths were deemed disease related (69.3%), rather than by limitation of further aggressive care (30.7%). Hemorrhage was a contributing cause to 38.8% of deaths that occurred due to withdrawal of care.

CONCLUSIONS: Exsanguination remains the predominant early primary COD with TBI accounting for most deaths at later time points. Timing and primary COD vary significantly by mechanism. Contemporaneous adjudication of COD is essential to elucidate the true understanding of patient outcome, center performance, and future research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II, Epidemiologic.

Language: en