Characterizing a Common Phenomenon: Why do Trauma Patients Re-present to the Emergency Department?

Trauma patients return to the emergency department (ED) at alarmingly high rates, despite not all patients requiring hospital resources. Reasons for ED re-presentation and associated risk factors have not been fully investigated.

Retrospective cohort study of adult trauma admissions at an urban safety net level 1 trauma center (1/12018-12/312021). Risk factors for ED re-presentation were identified using purposeful selection and modeled using multivariable logistic regression.

Of 2491 patients, 19% returned within 30 d (N = 475). Most patients presented for uncontrolled pain (37%, N = 175), medical concerns (25%, N = 119), and infection (10%, N = 49). The readmission rates varied as follows: 18% for uncontrolled pain (N = 32), 42% for medical concerns (N = 50), and 67% for infection (N = 33). Risk factors for uncontrolled pain included depression/anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-3.05), substance use disorder (SUD) (aOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.12-2.43), and penetrating mechanism of injury (aOR 2.25, 95% CI 1.59-3.18). Risk factors for medical concerns included number of medical comorbidities (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-1.52), depression/anxiety (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.28-3.01), SUD (aOR 2.48, 95% CI 1.65-3.74), and nonhome discharge disposition (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.07-2.28). Risk factors for infection included non-English primary language (aOR 3.41, 95% CI 1.82-6.39), SUD (aOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.03-3.88), and nonhome discharge disposition (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.15-3.67).

Uncontrolled pain was the most common reason for re-presentation, although only a small fraction required readmission. Patients with penetrating injury may benefit from improved pain control. Primary care provider follow-up may help mitigate risk of medical disease exacerbation, and wound care instructions for non-English speaking patients may decrease re-presentation for infection.