Characteristics and Outcomes of Abdominal and Pelvic Trauma Patients With Psychiatric Illness.

Background: The association between psychiatric illness and outcomes in trauma patients in general has only recently been investigated. The aim of this study was to describe the unique characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of patients with comorbid psychiatric illness and penetrating abdominal and pelvic injuries.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective review of trauma patients with open injuries to the abdomen and pelvis identified in the 2010-2015 the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database. Baseline variables extracted included demographics, comorbidities, including a discrete "psychiatric illness" variable that preexisted in the database, and injury information. Outcome variables collected included in-hospital mortality, length of stay and intensive care unit stay, and complications. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Logistic regression was used to assess independent predictors for mortality with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) constructed about group differences.

Results: There were 22,053 patients identified, 6.1% of whom were diagnosed with a psychiatric comorbidity. Patients with psychiatric illnesses were more likely to be aged ≥65 y (5.4% versus 3.2%, P < 0.0001), female (25.4% versus 12.4%, P < 0.0001), and have other comorbidities. Their injuries were more likely to be self-inflicted (34.9% versus 4.9%) and of a cut or piercing mechanism (33.7% versus 24.1%). Psychiatric comorbidity was an independent predictor of intensive care unit admission (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.14-1.53) and was independently associated with decreased odds of mortality (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.32-0.55) despite increased complication rates.

Conclusions: The presence of a psychiatric comorbidity may be independently associated with trauma patients' complications and outcomes. Patients with psychiatric comorbidities have a unique set of risk factors and health needs that must be recognized and addressed by multidisciplinary care teams.