SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INITIAL SPUN HEMATOCRIT IN TRAUMA PATIENTS

This study was designed to determine whether the initial spun hematocr it (HCT) value correlated with blood loss requiring operative interven tion (OR), A spun HCT was performed on the first available blood sampl e from 524 admitted patients 12 years of age or older with traumatic i njuries (86% blunt, 14% penetrating), Patients in the OR (n = 66) grou p had a lower mean HCT(35 v 41, P < .001) when compared with the non-O R group. The 81 patients with an HCT of less than or equal to 35 requi red OR more frequently (41% v 7%, P < .001), An HCT of less than or eq ual to 35 had a sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 90%, positive predi ctive value of 41%, and negative predictive value of 93% for identifyi ng the OR group, The effect of hemodilution from intravenous fluid is difficult to assess in a retrospective clinical study. Copyright (C) 1 998 by W.B. Saunders Company.