Analysis of trauma intubations

The timing of trauma patient intubation is dependent on clinical presentation and clinician judgment. We sought to correlate the timing of intubation with the presenting of physiologic parameters and clinical outcome to identify potential quality assurance audit filters. Patients (n = 82) were grouped by timing of intubation: PREHOSPITAL, paramedic intubation; IMMEDIATE, within 10 minutes of arrival; DELAYED, beyond 10 minutes but within 2 hours of arrival; and NONURGENT, beyond 2 hours or at the time of surgery. While mean revised trauma scores and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores differed for the groups, the mean length of hospital stay and the incidence of aspiration pneumonia were not significantly different. In the DELAYED group, 80% of those who developed aspiration pneumonia had a GCS < or = 13. Patients in the NONURGENT group were older and commonly presented with tachypnea. The survival rate for the NONURGENT group was lower than predicted by the TRISS method (P = .004). A GCS < or = 13 and age greater than 50 years with presenting respiratory rates of more than 25 breaths/min represent potential trauma intubation audit filters.