TRISS unexpected survivors--a statistical phenomenon or a clinical reality?
Publication/Presentation Date
11-1-1992
Abstract
Data from patients treated in Pennsylvania-accredited trauma centers during 1989 were analyzed. TRISS expected and unexpected survivors (1.6% of all survivors) differed in many ways. Unexpected survivors were more than twice as likely to have been transferred from a nondesignated trauma center (45.8% vs. 22.8%, p < 0.001). Unexpected survivors had significantly higher frequencies of motor vehicle injuries (56.2% vs. 38.3%, p < 0.001), pedestrian injuries (9.6% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.01), and gunshot wounds (7.3% vs. 4.7%, p < 0.01). Expected survivors were injured more frequently in falls (26.1% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.001) and were less frequently male (64.5% vs. 75%, p < 0.001). Unexpected survivors had significantly longer average hospital stay (29.6 s vs. 9.3 days, p < 0.001) and more frequent (98.8% vs. 36.8%, p < 0.001) and longer average stays in the ICU (13.3 s vs. 4.1 days, p < 0.001). The percentage of unexpected survivors discharged to rehabilitation centers (61.9%) was significantly greater than that for expected survivors (8.7%), (p < 0.001). Unexpected survivors were more frequently judged "completely dependent" in five measures of functional disability than expected survivors. We conclude that unexpected survivors are a seriously injured and clinically relevant patient set, not just a statistical phenomenon.
Volume
33
Issue
5
First Page
743
Last Page
748
ISSN
0022-5282
Published In/Presented At
Gillott, A. R., Copes, W. S., Langan, E., Najarian, M., Wiseman, J., & Sacco, W. J. (1992). TRISS unexpected survivors--a statistical phenomenon or a clinical reality?. The Journal of trauma, 33(5), 743–748. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-199211000-00025
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
1464925
Department(s)
Department of Surgery
Document Type
Article