UTILITY OF ADMISSION CHEMISTRY AND COAGULATION PROFILES IN TRAUMA PATIENTS - A REAPPRAISAL OF TRADITIONAL PRACTICE

To determine whether abnormal results of admission serum chemistry pro files (P7: sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), carbon dioxide c ontent (CO2), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and glucose (GLU)), amylase (AMY), and coagulation profiles (CP: prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT)) in trauma patients lead to clinical interventions, and to characterize frequency of abnormal res ults, we prospectively gathered laboratory data on 500 consecutive pat ients seen in our Level 1 trauma center, Clinicians were blinded to th e study, Abnormal results were found in 93% of P7s, 7% of AMYs, and 59 % of CPs. Interventions were made for <1% of abnormal P7s, 0% of abnor mal amylase, and 5% of patients with abnormal CP, We conclude that inf ormation provided by routine admission chemistry and coagulation profi les in trauma patients seldom lead to clinical interventions, These te sts should not be ordered routinely on admission in trauma patients.