Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study

Abstract Background The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) grade the severity of injuries and are useful for trauma audit and benchmarking. However, AIS coding is complex and requires specifically trained staff. A simple yet reliable scoring system is needed. The aim of t...

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Main Authors: David Eidenbenz, Tobias Gauss, Tobias Zingg, Vincent Darioli, Cécile Vallot, Pierre-Nicolas Carron, Pierre Bouzat, François-Xavier Ageron
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01320-7
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author David Eidenbenz
Tobias Gauss
Tobias Zingg
Vincent Darioli
Cécile Vallot
Pierre-Nicolas Carron
Pierre Bouzat
François-Xavier Ageron
author_facet David Eidenbenz
Tobias Gauss
Tobias Zingg
Vincent Darioli
Cécile Vallot
Pierre-Nicolas Carron
Pierre Bouzat
François-Xavier Ageron
author_sort David Eidenbenz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) grade the severity of injuries and are useful for trauma audit and benchmarking. However, AIS coding is complex and requires specifically trained staff. A simple yet reliable scoring system is needed. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, to develop and validate a simplified AIS (sAIS) chart centred on the most frequent injuries for use by non-trained healthcare professionals. Second, to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the sAIS (index test) to calculate the simplified ISS (sISS) to identify major trauma, compared with the reference AIS (rAIS) to calculate the reference ISS (rISS). Methods This retrospective study used data (2013–2014) from the Northern French Alps Trauma Registry to develop and internally validate the sAIS. External validation was performed with data from the Trauma Registry of Acute Care of Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland (2019–2021). Both datasets comprised a random sample of 100 injured patients. Following the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2015 guidelines, all patients completed the rAIS and the sAIS. The sISS and the rISS were calculated using the sAIS and the rAIS, respectively. Accuracy was evaluated with the mean difference between the sISS and the rISS and the Pearson correlation coefficient. A clinically relevant equivalence limit was set at ± 4 ISS points. Precision was analyzed using Bland-Altmann plots with 95% limits of agreement. Results Accuracy was good. The mean ISS difference of 0.97 (95% CI, −0.03 to 1.97) in the internal validation dataset and − 1.77 (95% CI, − 3.04 to 0.50) in the external validation dataset remained within the equivalence limit. The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.93 in the internal validation dataset (95% CI, 0.90–0.95) and 0.82 in the external validation dataset (95% CI, 0.75–0.88). The limits of agreement were wider than the predetermined relevant range. Conclusions The sAIS is accurate, but slightly imprecise in calculating the ISS. The development of this scale increases the possibilities to use a scoring system for severely injured patients in settings with a reduced availability of the AIS. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered.
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spelling doaj-art-e3faee6aeda7497bb6320f0343881f6b2025-02-02T12:40:13ZengBMCScandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine1757-72412025-01-0133111110.1186/s13049-025-01320-7Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation studyDavid Eidenbenz0Tobias Gauss1Tobias Zingg2Vincent Darioli3Cécile Vallot4Pierre-Nicolas Carron5Pierre Bouzat6François-Xavier Ageron7Department of Emergency Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Grenoble Alps University HospitalDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University HospitalDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneNorthern French Alps Emergency Network, Department of Public Health, Annecy Genevois Regional HospitalDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Grenoble Alps University HospitalDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneAbstract Background The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) grade the severity of injuries and are useful for trauma audit and benchmarking. However, AIS coding is complex and requires specifically trained staff. A simple yet reliable scoring system is needed. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, to develop and validate a simplified AIS (sAIS) chart centred on the most frequent injuries for use by non-trained healthcare professionals. Second, to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the sAIS (index test) to calculate the simplified ISS (sISS) to identify major trauma, compared with the reference AIS (rAIS) to calculate the reference ISS (rISS). Methods This retrospective study used data (2013–2014) from the Northern French Alps Trauma Registry to develop and internally validate the sAIS. External validation was performed with data from the Trauma Registry of Acute Care of Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland (2019–2021). Both datasets comprised a random sample of 100 injured patients. Following the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2015 guidelines, all patients completed the rAIS and the sAIS. The sISS and the rISS were calculated using the sAIS and the rAIS, respectively. Accuracy was evaluated with the mean difference between the sISS and the rISS and the Pearson correlation coefficient. A clinically relevant equivalence limit was set at ± 4 ISS points. Precision was analyzed using Bland-Altmann plots with 95% limits of agreement. Results Accuracy was good. The mean ISS difference of 0.97 (95% CI, −0.03 to 1.97) in the internal validation dataset and − 1.77 (95% CI, − 3.04 to 0.50) in the external validation dataset remained within the equivalence limit. The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.93 in the internal validation dataset (95% CI, 0.90–0.95) and 0.82 in the external validation dataset (95% CI, 0.75–0.88). The limits of agreement were wider than the predetermined relevant range. Conclusions The sAIS is accurate, but slightly imprecise in calculating the ISS. The development of this scale increases the possibilities to use a scoring system for severely injured patients in settings with a reduced availability of the AIS. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01320-7Abbreviated injury scaleInjury severity scoreTraumaRegistriesMajor traumatic injuryWounds and injuries
spellingShingle David Eidenbenz
Tobias Gauss
Tobias Zingg
Vincent Darioli
Cécile Vallot
Pierre-Nicolas Carron
Pierre Bouzat
François-Xavier Ageron
Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
Abbreviated injury scale
Injury severity score
Trauma
Registries
Major traumatic injury
Wounds and injuries
title Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
title_full Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
title_fullStr Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
title_full_unstemmed Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
title_short Identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score: a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
title_sort identification of major trauma using the simplified abbreviated injury scale to estimate the injury severity score a diagnostic accuracy and validation study
topic Abbreviated injury scale
Injury severity score
Trauma
Registries
Major traumatic injury
Wounds and injuries
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01320-7
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