A meta-analysis to determine the effect of pre-injury warfarin on mortality in trauma patients*. (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Batchelor, John S; Ahmed, Shariq
• Is Part Of: Trauma. Volume 16:Number 2(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 108
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: Trauma -- warfarin -- anticoagulation -- mortality -- meta-analysis -- adults; Traumatology -- Periodicals; Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1177/1460408614525731
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1460-4086

Abstract

The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect and magnitude of effect of pre-injury warfarin on trauma patients. Studies comparing all trauma patients (nb. not head injury patients only) on pre-injury warfarin to all trauma patients not on pre-injury warfarin were included in the meta-analysis. The search was performed using Medline via the PubMed interface; no limits were placed on the language. Ten papers were found to be suitable for the meta-analysis. There were two case control studies and eight retrospective cohort (nested case control) studies. Significant heterogeneity was present as measured by the Q test (Q value = 126.366 df = 9, p = 0.000) and also the I 2 test (I 2 = 92.878). The preferred model for this meta-analysis was considered to be the Fixed effect model which produced a common OR 1.952 (95% CI; 1.888–2.018, p = 0.000). The results of this meta-analysis show that pre-injury warfarin does increase mortality in trauma patients by an odds ratio of nearly two.