754

Abstract

Introduction: Race and ethnicity have been shown to independently predict outcomes in trauma patients requiring hospitalization. Specifically, African Americans and Hispanics, have increased morbidity and mortality rates compared to white trauma patients. Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine if these racial disparities were present in trauma patients admitted to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center Intensive Care Unit. Methods: We conducted an analysis of prospectively collected data on all trauma patients admitted to the ICU from Jan. 1, 2006 to Dec. 31, 2009. Patients were divided into African American, Hispanic, white and other ethnic groups. Demographics, mortality and other outcome variables were obtained from the Shock Trauma Registry. Results: During the study period 4180 trauma patients where admitted to the trauma ICU. Of these patients 2673 (63.9%) were white, 1238 (29.6%) were African American, 155 (3.7%) were Hispanic and 114 (2.7%) were other. White trauma patients admitted to the ICU had a higher mortality rate than African American patients (13.3% vs. 10.5%; p < 0.01). White trauma patients had a higher admission GCS upon arrival to the ICU when compared to African Americans (10.3 vs. 8.75; p <0.01). White trauma patients were found to be older than African Americans (48 vs. 38.7 years; p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the white and African American groups ISS (25.6 vs. 24.5; p = 0.2). In all ethnic groups males made up a significant majority of patients. Conclusions: It has been well published that African American trauma patients have higher mortality rates than whites for patients requiring admission. Our study shows that African American patients admitted to the ICU had significantly lower mortality rates than the whites. These findings were in the setting of the African American population having a significantly lower GCS and no difference in ISS when compared to whites. In our trauma ICU populations the white group was older than the African American population and this contributed more to outcomes than race. Further work needs to be done to elucidate factors that may lead to racial disparities in trauma patients admitted to the ICU.