Impact of advanced trauma life support training on 30-day mortality in severely injured patients at a Kenyan tertiary center: a retrospective matched case-control study

Impact of advanced trauma life support training on 30-day mortality in severely injured patients at a Kenyan tertiary center: a retrospective matched case-control study

Trauma is a leading cause of mortality worldwide,

Abstract
Introduction Trauma is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, particularly in low and middle-income countries
(LMICs) like Kenya. This study evaluates the impact of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training on 30-day
mortality outcomes in severely injured patients at a tertiary care center in Kenya.
Methods A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.
The study included adult patients (≥18 years) with polytrauma (Injury Severity Score [ISS]>15) from 2011 to 2022.
Propensity score matching was used to pair 81 post-ATLS cases with 81 pre-ATLS controls based on age and ISS. Data
analysis was performed using R Statistical language (version 4.3.0).
Results The 30-day mortality rate decreased significantly from 17% (95% CI: 9.4–27.4%) pre-ATLS to 6% (95% CI:
2.0-13.5%) post-ATLS (p=0.028). No significant differences were found in baseline characteristics between the two
groups. Road traffic accidents were the primary cause of trauma in both groups (72% pre-ATLS vs. 78% post-ATLS).
Conclusion ATLS training significantly reduced 30-day mortality in severely injured patients, demonstrating its
effectiveness even in resource-limited settings. Further prospective randomized studies are recommended to confirm
these findings and evaluate long-term outcomes.

Charbel Kamau1

, Idris Chikophe2

, Abdulkarim Abdallah1

and Edwin Mogere1*

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00713-2

2024

Peri Irawan

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