Epidemiology of Trauma-Related Infections among a Combat Casualty Cohort after Initial Hospitalization: The Trauma Infectious Disease Outcomes Study

David R. Tribble*, Margot R. Krauss, Clinton K. Murray, Tyler E. Warkentien, Bradley A. Lloyd, Anuradha Ganesan, Lauren Greenberg, Jiahong Xu, Ping Li, M. Leigh Carson, William Bradley, Amy C. Weintrob

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The Trauma Infectious Disease Outcomes Study (TIDOS) cohort follows military personnel with deployment-related injuries in order to evaluate short- and long-term infectious complications. High rates of infectious complications have been observed in more than 30% of injured patients during initial hospitalization. We present data on infectious complications related to combat trauma after the initial period of hospitalization. Patients and Methods: Data related to patient care for military personnel injured during combat operations between June 2009 and May 2012 were collected. Follow-up data were captured from interviews with enrolled participants and review of electronic medical records. Results: Among 1,006 patients enrolled in the TIDOS cohort with follow-up data, 357 (35%) were diagnosed with one or more infection during their initial hospitalization, of whom 160 (45%) developed a trauma-related infection during follow-up (4.2 infections per 10,000 person-days). Patients with three or more infections during the initial hospitalization had a significantly higher rate of infections during the follow-up period compared with those with only one inpatient infection (incidence rate: 6.6 versus 3.1 per 10,000 days; p < 0.0001). There were 657 enrollees who did not have an infection during initial hospitalization, of whom 158 (24%) developed one during follow-up (incidence rate: 1.6 per 10,000 days). Overall, 318 (32%) enrolled patients developed an infection after hospital discharge (562 unique infections) with skin and soft-tissue infections being predominant (66%) followed by osteomyelitis (16%). Sustaining an amputation or open fracture, having an inpatient infection, and use of anti-pseudomonal penicillin (≥7 d) were independently associated with risk of an extremity wound infection during follow-up, whereas shorter hospitalization (15-30 d) was associated with a reduced risk. Conclusions: Combat-injured patients have a high burden of infectious complications that continue long after the initial period of hospitalization with soft-tissue and osteomyelitis being predominant. Further research on the long-term impact and outcomes of combat-associated infection is needed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)494-503
Number of pages10
JournalSurgical Infections
Volume19
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2018

Keywords

  • combat trauma
  • combat-related infections
  • trauma-related infections
  • wound infections

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