Is direct transport to a trauma centre best for patients with severe traumatic brain injury? A study in south-central Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
This study attempted to identify any differences between the outcomes of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) who were directly transported to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and those who were stabilised initially at other hospitals in south-central Taiwan.


METHODS
A retrospective review of the records of 254 patients with isolated severe TBI who visited this hospital's emergency department from July 2003 to June 2008, of whom 167 were referred from other hospitals. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of transfer and its components on mortality.


RESULTS
Transfer from another hospital was not significantly correlated with mortality in this study (OR 0.513, 95% CI 0.240 to 1.097). Moreover, neither intubation (OR 1.356, 95% CI 0.445 to 4.133) nor transfer time over 4 h (OR 0.549, 95% CI 0.119 to 1.744) had a significant effect on mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
No differences in outcome were found between patients with isolated severe TBI who were directly transported and those transferred to this hospital's emergency room.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Kuang-Yu
KY
Hsiao
I-Chuan
IC
Chen
Chia-Jung
CJ
Yang
Cheng-Ting
CT
Hsiao
Kai-Hua
KH
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000401:mortality; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010360:Patient Transfer; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D055815:Young Adult