Abstract 5248

In India trauma related deaths occur every 1.9 minutes. Mortality in severe traumatic injury (ISS>16) is six times higher in developing country like India. Coagulopathy is observed in almost 25– 30% of trauma patients which itself is an independent risk factor for haemorrhage. Coagulopathy detected early after injury is indicative of injury severity and itself is a prognostic factor for mortality.

Aim

To find out the usefulness of thromboelastography (TEG) in detecting coagulopathy in contrast to conventional methods of plasma based standard coagulation parameters (PT, aPTT, TT, fibrinogen, D-dimer)

Objective

To detect coagulopathy early by TEG in trauma patients within 24 hrs after injury which can be useful to guide haemostatic therapies to reduce mortality.

Materials and methods

Patients admitted to trauma casualty were studied within 24 hrs after injury. Native whole blood was withdrawn through venepuncture appropriately in syringe using 21G needle and TEG was performed within 2 mins. Blood was also collected in citrated tube to assess standard coagulation parameters (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen, D-dimer) and also by means of thromboelastography.

Results

Patients (n=87,New ISS-24.78(mean)) admitted to J.P.N Apex trauma centre casualty from 1st April,2011 to 31st July,2011 were studied. The cases included in the study were isolated head injury (n=40, NISS-25.87(mean)), multiple trauma with head injury (n=13,NISS – 30.69 (mean)) and trauma other than head injury (n=34, NISS-21.24 (mean)).Thromboelastography was performed using whole blood (n=69) and citrated blood (n=18). Coagulation tests were performed on all 87 patients using both TEG and conventional coagulation parameters. Total 52 patients showed coagulopathy by TEG and only 14 patients showed coagulopathy by standard coagulation parameters (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time). Only in 10 cases coagulopathy was detected by both methods. 4 patients showed coagulopathy only by conventional methods while 42 patients showed coagulopathy by only Thromboelastography (TEG). To find out whether there is any stastistical significance in the observed apparently better result by TEG, McNemar Test was carried out and P value was <0.0001.

Conclusion

Thromboelastography could be a better technique as compared to conventional measurements of PT, aPTT, TT, Fibrinogen, D-dimer in early detection of coagulopathy in trauma patients.

Disclosures:

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Topics:
blood coagulation, blood coagulation disorders, coagulation process, hemostatics, plasma, thrombelastography, wounds and injuries, activated partial thromboplastin time measurement, craniocerebral trauma, fibrin fragment d substance

Author notes

*

Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.

© 2011 by The American Society of Hematology
2011
Sign in via your Institution