New scoring system for intra-abdominal injury diagnosis after blunt trauma

• Published in: Chinese journal of traumatology 2014-02, Vol.17 (1), p.19-24
• Main Authors: Shojaee, Majid, Dolatabadi, Ali Arhami, Sabzghabaei, Anita, Malekirastekenari, Ali, Faridaalaee, Gholamreza, Yousefifard, Mahmoud, Yaseri, Mehdi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal injuries; Abdominal Injuries - diagnosis; Adult; Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Male; Prospective Studies; Research Design; Tomography ,X-ray computed; Trauma Severity Indices; Wounds, Nonpenetrating - diagnosis
• ISSN: 1008-1275
• DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1008-1275.2014.01.004

An accurate scoring system for intra-abdominal injury (IAI) based on clinical manifestation and examination may decrease unnecessary CT scans, save time, and reduce healthcare cost. This study is designed to provide a new scoring system for a better diagnosis of IAI after blunt trauma. This prospective observational study was performed from April 2011 to October 2012 on patients aged above 18years and suspected with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) admitted to the emergency department (ED) of Imam Hussein Hospital and Shohadaye Hafte Tir Hospital. All patients were assessed and treated based on Advanced Trauma Life Support and ED protocol. Diagnosis was done according to CT scan findings, which was considered as the gold standard. Data were gathered based on patient’s history, physical exam, ultrasound and CT scan findings by a general practitioner who was not blind to this study. Chisquare test and logistic regression were done. Factors with significant relationship with CT scan were imported in multivariate regression models, where a coefficient (β) was given based on the contribution of each of them. Scoring system was developed based on the obtained total β of each factor. Altogether 261 patients (80.1% male) were enrolled (48 cases of IAI). A 24-point blunt abdominal trauma scoring system (BATSS) was developed. Patients were divided into three groups including low (score