Table 1

Characteristics of patients with and without blood transfusion
Measure
 TG (n = 76)
 NTG (n = 69)
 P value
Age, years, mean (SD)a
 39.0 (18.2)
 38.6 (17.0)
 .885
Male, n [%]/female, n [%]b
 63 [82.9]/13 [17.1]
 66 [95.7]/3 [4.3]
 .014
ISS, mean (SD)c
 35.1 (17.5)
 16.4 (14.0)
 ≤.001
GCS, mean (SD)c
 9 .2 (4.9)
 11.9 (4.6)
 ≤.001
BAC, g/l, mean (SD)c
 .65 (.90)
 .41 (.74)
 .053
Severe head injury, n [%]b
 44 [57.9]
 20 [29.0]
 ≤.001
Mortality, n [%]b
 15 [19.7]
 3 [4.3]
 .005
ICU admission, n [%]b
 67 [88.2]
 28 [40.6]
 ≤.001
ICU days, mean (SD) c
 16.0 (14.5)
 3.5 (7.0)
 ≤.001
Artificial ventilation, n [%]b
 61 [80.3]
 18 [26.1]
 ≤.001
Artificial ventilation hours, mean (SD)c
 273.8 (293.2)
 47.0 (118.5)
 ≤.001
No intubation, n [%]b
 17 [22.4]
 44 [63.8]
 ≤.001
Hemoglobin, mmol/l, mean (SD)a
 5.4 (1.3)
 7.8 (1.2)
 ≤.001
Prothrombin, sec, mean (SD)c
 72.7 (28.7)
 95.7 (25.7)
 ≤.001
Lactat, mmol/l, mean (SD)c
 3.1 (2.7)
 1.9 (1.8)
 ≤.001
Trauma context, n [%]b

.603
     Traffic accident
 50 [65.8]
 45 [65.3]
          Pedestrian
 6 [7.9]
 3 [4.3]
          Bicyclist
 6 [7.9]
 8 [11.6]
          Motorbiker
 13 [17.1]
 16 [23.2]
          Car driver
 24 [31.6]
 16 [23.2]
          Truck driver
 1 [1.3]
 2 [2.9]
     Fall from height
 25 [32.9]
 21 [30.4]
     Other
 1 [1.3]
 3 [4.3]
Admission characteristics, n [%]b


     Primary from the scene/
 51 [67.1]/
 61 [88.4]/
 .002
     Secondary from other hospital
 25 [32.9]
 8 [11.6]
 .125.
     Helicopter total
 46 [60.5]
 33 [47.8]
 .012
     Helicopter secondary
 19 [25.0]
 7 [10.1]

a t test; b χ2 test; c U test

TG = group of transfused patients; NTG = group of patients not transfused; SD = standard deviation; n = number of patients; ISS = Injury Severity Score; GCS = Glasgow coma scale; BAC = blood alcohol concentration in g/l, ICU = intensive care unit

Struck et al. Journal of Trauma Management & Outcomes 2009 3:3   doi:10.1186/1752-2897-3-3