[Comparison of 2 scales in the assessment of injury severity in seriously injured patients].

We compared the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS-85) and the Hospital Trauma Index (HTI) in seriously injured patients. The effect of these scales on the application of Injury Severity Scores (ISS) was investigated. Furthermore, the predictive value on mortality of the AIS/ISS and the HTI/ISS was determined. Subjects were 932 seriously injured patients (HTI/ISS score greater than or equal to 18) admitted to University Hospital Groningen between 1985 and 1990. A quantitative and a qualitative comparison were performed. Logistic regression was used to estimate the predictive value of the AIS/ISS and the HTI/ISS on mortality. The AIS/ISS and HTI/ISS differed quantitatively and qualitatively. The average HTI/ISS score was ten points higher than the average AIS/ISS. By combining specific regions of the scales the predictive value could be improved. The ISS scores were incomparable. Consequently in future studies the method used to calculate the ISS score should be mentioned.