Severe trauma continues to represent a global public health issue and mortality and morbidity in trauma patients remains substantial. A number of initiatives have aimed to provide guidance on the management of trauma patients. This document focuses on the management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma and encourages adaptation of the guiding principles to each local situation and implementation within each institution. The pan-European, multidisciplinary Task Force for Advanced Bleeding Care in Trauma was founded in 2004 and included representatives of six relevant European professional societies. The group used a structured, evidence-based consensus approach to address scientific queries that served as the basis for each recommendation and supporting rationale. Expert opinion and current clinical practice were also considered, particularly in areas in which randomised clinical trials have not or cannot be performed. Existing recommendations were reconsidered and revised based on new scientific evidence and observed shifts in clinical practice; new recommendations were formulated to reflect current clinical concerns and areas in which new research data have been generated. This guideline represents the fourth edition of a document first published in 2007 and updated in 2010 and 2013. The guideline now recommends that patients be transferred directly to an appropriate trauma treatment centre and encourages use of a restricted volume replacement strategy during initial resuscitation. Best-practice use of blood products during further resuscitation continues to evolve and should be guided by a goal-directed strategy. The identification and management of patients pre-treated with anticoagulant agents continues to pose a real challenge, despite accumulating experience and awareness. The present guideline should be viewed as an educational aid to improve and standardise the care of the bleeding trauma patients across Europe and beyond. This document may also serve as a basis for local implementation. Furthermore, local quality and safety management systems need to be established to specifically assess key measures of bleeding control and outcome. A multidisciplinary approach and adherence to evidence-based guidance are key to improving patient outcomes. The implementation of locally adapted treatment algorithms should strive to achieve measureable improvements in patient outcome.

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The European guideline on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma: fourth edition

Introduction: Evidence-based recommendations are needed to guide the acute management of the bleeding trauma patient. When these recommendations are implemented patient outcomes may be improved. Methods: The multidisciplinary Task Force for Advanced Bleeding Care in Trauma was formed in 2005 with the aim of developing a guideline for the management of bleeding following severe injury. This document represents an updated version of the guideline published by the group in 2007 and updated in 2010. Recommendations were formulated using a nominal group process, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) hierarchy of evidence and based on a systematic review of published literature. Results: Key changes encompassed in this version of the guideline include new recommendations on the appropriate use of vasopressors and inotropic agents, and reflect an awareness of the growing number of patients in the population at large treated with antiplatelet agents and/or oral anticoagulants. The current guideline also includes recommendations and a discussion of thromboprophylactic strategies for all patients following traumatic injury. The most significant addition is a new section that discusses the need for every institution to develop, implement and adhere to an evidence-based clinical protocol to manage traumatically injured patients. The remaining recommendations have been re-evaluated and graded based on literature published since the last edition of the guideline. Consideration was also given to changes in clinical practice that have taken place during this time period as a result of both new evidence and changes in the general availability of relevant agents and technologies. Conclusions: A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to trauma care and mechanisms with which to ensure that established protocols are consistently implemented will ensure a uniform and high standard of care across Europe and beyond.

/pdf/management-of-bleeding-and-coagulopathy-following-major-127uh3smia.pdf

Management of bleeding and coagulopathy following major trauma: an updated European guideline

IntroductionEvidence-based recommendations are needed to guide the acute management of the bleeding trauma patient. When these recommendations are implemented patient outcomes may be improved.MethodsThe multidisciplinary Task Force for Advanced Bleeding Care in Trauma was formed in 2005 with the aim of developing a guideline for the management of bleeding following severe injury. This document represents an updated version of the guideline published by the group in 2007 and updated in 2010. Recommendations were formulated using a nominal group process, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) hierarchy of evidence and based on a systematic review of published literature.ResultsKey changes encompassed in this version of the guideline include new recommendations on the appropriate use of vasopressors and inotropic agents, and reflect an awareness of the growing number of patients in the population at large treated with antiplatelet agents and/or oral anticoagulants. The current guideline also includes recommendations and a discussion of thromboprophylactic strategies for all patients following traumatic injury. The most significant addition is a new section that discusses the need for every institution to develop, implement and adhere to an evidence-based clinical protocol to manage traumatically injured patients. The remaining recommendations have been re-evaluated and graded based on literature published since the last edition of the guideline. Consideration was also given to changes in clinical practice that have taken place during this time period as a result of both new evidence and changes in the general availability of relevant agents and technologies.ConclusionsA comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to trauma care and mechanisms with which to ensure that established protocols are consistently implemented will ensure a uniform and high standard of care across Europe and beyond.http://ccforum.com/content/17/4/442

This Provisional PDF corresponds to the article as it appeared upon acceptance. Copyedited and fully formatted PDF and full text (HTML) versions will be made available soon. Management of bleeding and coagulopathy following major trauma: an updated European guideline

Introduction: Evidence-based recommendations are needed to guide the acute management of the bleeding trauma patient, which when implemented may improve patient outcomes. Methods: The multidisciplinary Task Force for Advanced Bleeding Care in Trauma was formed in 2005 with the aim of developing a guideline for the management of bleeding following severe injury. This document presents an updated version of the guideline published by the group in 2007. Recommendations were formulated using a nominal group process, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) hierarchy of evidence and based on a systematic review of published literature. Results: Key changes encompassed in this version of the guideline include new recommendations on coagulation support and monitoring and the appropriate use of local haemostatic measures, tourniquets, calcium and desmopressin in the bleeding trauma patient. The remaining recommendations have been reevaluated and graded based on literature published since the last edition of the guideline. Consideration was also given to changes in clinical practice that have taken place during this time period as a result of both new evidence and changes in the general availability of relevant agents and technologies. Conclusions: This guideline provides an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach to the management of critically injured bleeding trauma patients.

/pdf/management-of-bleeding-following-major-trauma-an-updated-59vf8dn6w1.pdf

Management of bleeding following major trauma: an updated European guideline

Background—Intravascular red cell hemolysis impairs nitric oxide (NO)–redox homeostasis, producing endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, and vasculopathy. Red blood cell storage under standard conditions results in reduced integrity of the erythrocyte membrane, with formation of exocytic microvesicles or microparticles and hemolysis, which we hypothesized could impair vascular function and contribute to the putative storage lesion of banked blood. Methods and Results—We now find that storage of human red blood cells under standard blood banking conditions results in the accumulation of cell-free and microparticle-encapsulated hemoglobin, which, despite 39 days of storage, remains in the reduced ferrous oxyhemoglobin redox state and stoichiometrically reacts with and scavenges the vasodilator NO. Using stopped-flow spectroscopy and laser-triggered NO release from a caged NO compound, we found that both free hemoglobin and microparticles react with NO about 1000 times faster than with intact erythro...

Nitric oxide scavenging by red blood cell microparticles and cell-free hemoglobin as a mechanism for the red cell storage lesion.

Background: The transfusion of relatively older stored blood has been associated with an increased risk of multiple organ failure, infection, and death. It remains unknown whether this phenomenon is mitigated by transfusion of leukoreduced red cell units. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of stored blood age on mortality in injured patients who universally received leukoreduced blood. Methods: Trauma patients who received ≥1 unit of blood during the first 24 hours after hospital arrival were selected for inclusion. Patients were stratified both according to total units and "old" units (≥14 days) versus "young" units (<14 days) received in the initial 24 hours. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the association between mortality and the age and amount of blood transfused, adjusted for age, sex, injury severity, injury mechanism, number of units transfused, and length of stay. Results: Over 7.5 years, 1,813 patients met study criteria. Among patients who received a total of 1 to 2 or 3 to 5 units in the first 24 hours, there was no association between the amount and age of transfused blood and mortality. For patients who received a total of ≥6 units, the presence of ≥3 units of young blood was associated with a 3.8-fold increased odds of death (CI: 1.1-12.7), compared with a 7.8-fold (CI: 2.3-26.3) increased odds of death associated with the presence of ≥3 units of old blood (p = 0.0024). Conclusion: Although larger volumes of blood, irrespective of age, are associated with increased odds of mortality, the transfusion of blood stored beyond 2 weeks appears to potentiate this association despite a practice of universal leukoreduction. For patients who receive relatively smaller transfusion volumes, blood age appears to have no effect on mortality.

http://www.area-c54.it/public/age%20of%20transfused%20blood.pdf

Age of transfused blood: an independent predictor of mortality despite universal leukoreduction.

Background:Prior studies have demonstrated that transfusion of older stored blood is associated with an increased risk of multiple organ failure, infection, and death. These reports were primarily comprised of severely injured patients, and it remains unknown whether this phenomenon is observed in r

Samuel A. Cherry

Papers

Age of transfused blood: an independent predictor of mortality despite universal leukoreduction.

Transfusions in the less severely injured: does age of transfused blood affect outcomes?