@article{ref1,
title="Fatal and nonfatal firearm injuries in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: a hospital-based retrospective descriptive cohort study assessing correlates of adult mortality",
journal="BMC emergency medicine",
year="2021",
author="Budema, Paul Munguakonkwa and Murhega, Roméo Bujiriri and Tshimbombu, Tshibambe Nathanael and Toha, Georges Kuyigwa and Cikomola, Fabrice Gulimwentuga and Mudekereza, Paterne Safari and Mubenga, Léon-Emmanuel and Maheshe-Balemba, Ghislain and Badesire, Darck Cubaka and Kanmounye, Ulrick Sidney",
volume="21",
number="1",
pages="e116-e116",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: The Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the battleground for multiple armed conflicts, resulting in many fatal and nonfatal firearm injuries (F&NFFIs). Chronic insecurity has stressed the health system's resources and created barriers to seeking, reaching, and receiving timely care further increasing the F&NFFI burden. Our institution is the largest trauma center in the region and receives the bulk of F&NFFI cases. We aimed to identify correlates of mortality in Congolese F&NFFI patients. <br><br>METHODS: We included all F&NFFI patients admitted to our institution between 2017 and 2020. We extracted data from patient charts and admission logs. We identified mortality correlates using the two-sample t-test, Chi-square test, and multivariable regression analysis. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. <br><br>RESULTS: This study included 814 adult patients, mostly male (86%) with an average age of 34.5 years and living 154.4 km away from the hospital on average. The most affected anatomical sites were the lower limbs (48.2%) and upper limbs (23.2%). The median length of stay was 34.0 days, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 3.6%. In addition, mortality was negatively correlated with diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.01), SaO(2) (P < 0.001), and hemoglobin concentration (P = 0.002). <br><br>CONCLUSION: F&NFFIs cause an enormous burden in the region, and mortality is correlated with some clinical and biological variables. Thus, the study findings will inform F&NFFI referral, triage, and management in low-resource and mass casualty settings.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1471-227X",
doi="10.1186/s12873-021-00506-3",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12873-021-00506-3"
}