How health service delivery guides the allocation of major trauma patients in the intensive care units of the inclusive (hub and spoke) trauma system of the Emilia Romagna Region (Italy). A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To evaluate cross-sectional patient distribution and standardised 30-day mortality in the intensive care units (ICU) of an inclusive hub and spoke trauma system.

Setting: ICUs of the Integrated System for Trauma Patient Care (SIAT) of Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region with a population of approximately 4.5 million.

Sepsis and organ system failure are major determinants of post-intensive care unit mortality.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate predictors of post-intensive care unit (ICU) in-hospital mortality with special emphasis on the impact of sepsis and organ system failure.

Methods: This study is a subanalysis of the database from the observational Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients study conducted in 198 ICUs in 24 European countries between May 1 and May 15, 2002. Potential predictors of post-ICU mortality were considered at 3 levels: admission status, procedures and therapy during the ICU stay, and status at ICU discharge.