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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Adult, Age Distribution, Cohort Studies, Early Diagnosis, Female, Humans, Incidence, Injury Severity Score, Linear Models, Male, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, Patient Admission, Predictive Value of Tests, Pulmonary Embolism, Retrospective Studies, Risk Assessment, Sex Distribution, Survival Rate, Thrombelastography, Time Factors, Trauma Centers, Wounds and Injuries, Young Adult.
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Does admission rapid thrombelastography predict development of pulmonary embolism in trauma patients? Context: Injury leads to dramatic disturbances in coagulation with increased risk of bleeding followed by a hypercoagulable state. A comprehensive assessment of these coagulation abnormalities can be measured and described by thrombelastography. The purpose of this study was to identify whether admission rapid-thrombelastography (r-TEG) could identify patients at risk of developing pulmonary embolism (PE) during their hospital stay. Patients admitted between September 2009 to February 2011 who met criteria for our highest-level trauma activation and were transported directly from the scene were included in the study. PE defined as clinically suspected and computed tomography angiography confirmed PE. We evaluated r-TEG values with particular attention to the maximal amplitude (mA) parameter that is indicative of overall clot strength. Demographics, vital signs, injury severity, and r-TEG values were then evaluated. In addition to r-TEG values, gender and injury severity score (ISS) were chosen a priori for developing a multiple logistic regression model predicting development of PE. r-TEG was obtained on 2,070 consecutive trauma activations. Of these, 2.5% (53) developed PE, 97.5% (2,017) did not develop PE. Patients in the PE group were older (median age, 41 vs. 33 years, p = 0.012) and more likely to be white (69% vs. 54%, p = 0.036). None of the patients in the PE group sustained penetrating injury (0% vs. 25% in the no-PE group, p < 0.001). The PE group also had admission higher mA values (66 vs. 63, p = 0.050) and higher ISS (median, 31 vs. 19, p = 0.002). When controlling for gender, race, age, and ISS, elevated mA at admission was an independent predictor of PE with an odds ratio of 3.5 for mA > 65 and 5.8 for mA > 72.
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Admission r-TEG mA values can identify patients with an increased risk of in-hospital PE. Further studies are needed to determine whether alternative anticoagulation strategies should be used for these high-risk patients. Final Decision: yes