title: Effect of antishock trousers on the trauma score: a prospective analysis in the urban setting.
abstract: This study was designed to determine the effect of military antishock trousers (MAST) use on the presenting emergency center trauma score (TS) in an urban prehospital setting. Sixty-eight patients were assigned randomly to study and control groups in a prospective investigation of the use of MAST on injured patients with hypotension. Thirty-two control patients, whose mean initial systolic BP was 59 +/- 32 mm Hg, and 36 MAST-treated patients, whose mean initial BP was 55 +/- 31 mm Hg, were found to be well matched for age; sex; type and location of injuries; initial field TS; response, field management, and transport times; and the total amount of intravenous crystalloid infused. Our results demonstrated no significant difference between the control and MAST-treated groups in the presenting emergency department TS (9.8 +/- 6.6 vs 10.6 +/- 5.9). These data conflict with the widely accepted belief that MAST will always enhance conventional support for improving the prehospital condition of injured patients with significant hypotension.
mesh_terms: D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005676:Gravity Suits; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013781:Texas; D014505:Urban Population; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*