Impact of severe polytrauma on severe brain injured patients

Introduction

We retrospectively investigated the impact of polytrauma (ISS > 16) on a population of severe brain injured (SBI) patients (GCS < 8).

Patients and methods

Thirty consecutive patients with SBI and polytrauma (Group I) were matched with 30 patients with SBI (Group II) treated during the same period. The matching criteria were age +4 years, gender, APACHE II +1, and same GCS. The ICU mortality, length of ICU stay (LOS), duration of intubation, mechanical ventilation (MV), sedation and analgesia were assessed. Patient characteristics (age, gender), severity of illness (APACHE II, GCS), serum Na⁺ and glucose, systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and core temperature were recorded on admission to the ICU. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann–Whitney U test and statistical significance was considered as P < 0.05.

Results

See Tables 1 and 2. Significant differences were found between the two groups in LOS, duration of intubation, time with analgesia treatment, admission SBP and temperature. The time on mechanical ventilation, sedation interval and ICU mortality did not differ between the two groups, as indicated in Table 2.

Table 1 (abstract P451)

Table 2 (abstract P451)

Conclusion

Patients with SBI and polytrauma had a lower admission SBP and temperature, a longer ICU stay, more intubation and sedation days without differences in ventilation days and ICU mortality.