Interhospital transfer of cardiac patients: does air transport make a difference?
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of interhospital transported cardiac patients for whom bias in selecting transport mode was removed due to helicopter unavailability.


METHODS
Patients with the diagnosis of unstable angina or myocardial infarction who underwent transport by ground only because helicopter transport was not available, were compared to patients transported by helicopter. Patients were matched by gender and referring hospital. Ninety-six patients were studied and both groups were comparable in age, diagnosis, Killip classification, treatment with thrombolytics and post-transport procedures.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for mean ICU days (5.3 air vs. 3.5 ground) and mean hospital days (9.9 vs. 8.2, respectively). No differences were detected in the proportions of deaths within 72 hours of arriving at the receiving institution (1/48 air vs. 0/48 ground), but air transportation was associated with more total deaths (9/48 vs. 1/48, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that the interhospital transport of cardiac patients by air offers no outcome advantage over ground transport.
Stone
C K
CK
Department of Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858.
Hunt
R C
RC
Sousa
J A
JA
Whitley
T W
TW
Thomas
S H
SH
D017732:Air Ambulances / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000552:Ambulances / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015982:Bias; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014218:Triage