Predisposing factors, clinical assessment, management and outcomes of agitation in the trauma intensive care unit

doi:10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2018.02.004

Abstract

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Agitation occurs frequently among critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to evaluate the frequency, predisposing factors and outcomes of agitation in trauma ICU.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted to include patients who were admitted to the trauma ICU between April 2014 and March 2015. Data included patient's demographics, initial vitals, associated injuries, Ramsey Sedation Scale, Glasgow Coma Scale, head injury lesions, use of sedatives and analgesics, head interventions, ventilator days, and ICU length of stay. Patients were divided into two groups based on the agitation status.
RESULTS: A total of 102 intubated patients were enrolled; of which 46 (45%) experienced agitation. Patients in the agitation group were 7 years younger, had significantly lower GCS and sustained higher frequency of head injuries (P<0.05). Patients who developed agitation were more likely to be prescribed propofol alone or in combination with midazolam and to have frequent ICP catheter insertion, longer ventilatory days and higher incidence of pneumonia (P<0.05). On multivariate analysis, use of propofol alone (OR=4.97; 95% CI=1.35-18.27), subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR=5.11; 95% CI=1.38-18.91) and ICP catheter insertion for severe head injury (OR=4.23; 95% CI=1.16-15.35) were independent predictors for agitation (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: Agitation is a frequent problem in trauma ICU and is mainly related to the type of sedation and poor outcomes in terms of prolonged mechanical ventilation and development of nosocomial pneumonia. Therefore, understanding the main predictors of agitation facilitates early risk-stratification and development of better therapeutic strategies in trauma patients.

Key words: Trauma, Intensive care unit, Agitation, Head injury, Propofol, Outcome

Saeed Mahmood, Omaima Mahmood, Ayman El-Menyar, Mohammad Asim, Hassan Al-Thani. Predisposing factors, clinical assessment, management and outcomes of agitation in the trauma intensive care unit[J]. World Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2018, 9(2): 105-112.

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Variables	Overall (n=102)	Patients without agitation (n=56)	Patients with agitation (n=46)	P value
Age (mean±SD)	34.3±13.9	37.2±14.8	30.2±11.7	0.01
Males	91 (89.2%)	47 (83.9%)	44 (95.7%)	0.05
Mechanism of injury
Motor vehicle crashes	60 (58.8%)	33 (58.9%)	27 (58.7%)	0.91 for all
Fall from height	21 (20.6%)	13 (23.2%)	8 (17.4%)
Fall of heavy object	2 (2.0%)	1 (1.8%)	1 (2.2%)
All-terrain vehicle	3 (2.9%)	1 (1.8%)	2 (4.3%)
Assault	5 (4.9%)	2 (3.6%)	3 (6.5%)
Others	11 (10.8%)	6 (10.7%)	5 (10.9%)
GCS Scene	9.6±4.4	10.5±4.4	8.5±4.1	0.03
GCS at trauma room	7.4±5.3	8.5±5.6	6.1±4.5	0.02
GCS 1-hour post-admission	5.7±4.9	6.5±5.4	4.8±4.2	0.07
Associated injuries
Head	71 (69.6%)	32 (57.1%)	39 (84.8%)	0.003
Chest	48 (47.1%)	27 (48.2%)	21 (45.7%)	0.79
Spine	31 (30.4%)	23 (41.1%)	8 (17.4%)	0.01
Upper extremity	25 (24.5%)	15 (26.8%)	10 (21.7%)	0.55
Lower extremity	26 (25.5%)	13 (23.2%)	13 (28.3%)	0.56
Abdomen	23 (22.5%)	15 (26.8%)	8 (17.4%)	0.25
Pelvis	19 (18.6%)	12 (21.4%)	7 (15.2%)	0.42
Face	9 (8.8%)	3 (5.4%)	6 (13.0%)	0.17
Injury Severity Score	21.6±11.1	20.6±12.0	22.9±9.7	0.30
Head AIS	3.8±0.9	3.9±0.9	3.7±0.8	0.53
Severe Head Injury (GCS<8) 54 (77%) 22 (71.0%) 32 (82.1%) 0.27

Variables	Overall (n=102)	Patients without agitation (n=56)	Patients with agitation (n=46)	P value
Oxygen saturation in trauma room	99.6±0.8	99.6±0.6	99.5±0.9	0.62
Lactate (mmol/L)	0.5 (0.1-3.2)	0.5 (0.1-2.8)	0.55 (0.1-3.2)	0.49
Sodium (mmol/L)	139.3±13.7	138.0±18.3	140.8±2.9	0.32
Potassium (mmol/L)	4.0±0.3	4.1±0.3	4.0±0.2	0.13
Magnesium (mmol/L)	0.67±0.05	0.7±0.05	0.6±0.05	0.02
Tramadol	13 (12.7%)	8 (14.3%)	5 (10.9%)	0.60
Analgesics
Fentanyl	56 (70.9%)	25 (71.4%)	31 (70.5%)	0.92 for all
Remifentanil	23 (29.1%)	10 (28.6%)	13 (29.5%)	0.92 for all
Sedatives
Midazolom alone	30 (30.0%)	23 (42.6%)	7 (15.2%)	0.001 for all
Propofol alone	26 (26.0%)	8 (14.8%)	18 (39.1%)
Midazolom + Propofol	37 (37.0%)	17 (31.5%)	20 (43.5%)
Dihydrocodeine	7 (7.0%)	6 (11.1%)	1 (2.2%)
Head intervention
Craniectomy	10 (9.8%)	1 (1.8%)	9 (19.6%)	0.003
Craniotomy	15 (14.7%)	6 (10.7%)	9 (19.6%)	0.21
ICP catheter insertion	38 (37.3%)	10 (17.9%)	28 (60.9%)	0.001
ICP (median, range)	19 (11-28)	19.5 (12-22)	19 (11-28)	0.38
Ventilator days	8 (2-25)	7 (2-13)	9 (2-25)	0.001
Hospital length of stay (days)	25.5 (2-147)	21 (2-88)	29 (2-147)	0.34
ICU length of stay (days)	13 (1-96)	11.5 (1-78)	17 (1-96)	0.15
Sepsis	5 (4.9%)	1 (1.8%)	4 (8.7%)	0.10
Pneumonia	10 (9.8%)	2 (3.6%)	8 (17.4%)	0.04

Variables	OR	95% CI	P value
Age	0.95	0.91-1.00	0.05
Males	8.55	0.98-74.66	0.05
Initial GCS at trauma room	1.005	0.89-1.12	0.92
ICP catheter insertion	4.23	1.16-15.35	0.03
Injury Severity Score	1.001	0.95-1.05	0.98
Subarachnoid hemorrhage	5.11	1.38-18.91	0.01
Propofol alone	4.97	1.35-18.27	0.01

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