Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (Jul 2018)

Modelling the association between fibrinogen concentration on admission and mortality in patients with massive transfusion after severe trauma: an analysis of a large regional database

  • Pierre Bouzat,
  • François-Xavier Ageron,
  • Jonathan Charbit,
  • Xavier Bobbia,
  • Pauline Deras,
  • Jennifer Bas Dit Nugues,
  • Etienne Escudier,
  • Guillaume Marcotte,
  • Marc Leone,
  • Jean-Stéphane David

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-018-0523-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background The relationship between fibrinogen concentration and traumatic death has been poorly explored after severe trauma. Existing studies analysed this relationship in unselected trauma population, often considering fibrinogen concentration as a categorical variable. The aim of our study was to model the relationship between fibrinogen concentration and in-hospital mortality in severe trauma patients requiring massive transfusion using fibrinogen on admission as a continuous variable. Methods We designed a retrospective observational study based on prospectively collected data from 2009 to 2015 in seven French level-I trauma centres. All consecutive patients requiring a transfusion of at least 10 packed red blood cells (RBC) within 24 h were included. To assess the relationship between in-hospital death and fibrinogen concentration on admission, we performed generalized linear and additive models with death as a dependent variable. We also assessed the relationship between fibrinogen concentration below 1.5 g.L− 1 and potential predictors. Results Within the study period, 366 patients were included. A non-linear relationship was found between fibrinogen concentration and death. Graphical modelling of this relationship depicted a negative association between fibrinogen levels and death below a fibrinogen concentration of 1.5 g.L− 1. Predictors of low fibrinogen concentration (< 1.5 g.L− 1) were systolic blood pressure, Glasgow coma scale and haemoglobin concentration on admission. Conclusions A complex and robust approach for modelling the relationship between fibrinogen and mortality revealed a critical fibrinogen threshold of 1.5 g.L− 1 for severe trauma patients requiring massive transfusion. This trigger may guide the administration of procoagulant therapies in this context.

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