Temporal patterns of organ dysfunction after severe trauma

BACKGROUND: Understanding temporal patterns of organ dysfunction (OD) may aid early recognition of complications after trauma and assist timing and modality of treatment strategies. Our aim was to analyse and characterise temporal patterns of OD in intensive care unit-admitted trauma patients. METHODS: We used group-based trajectory modelling to identify temporal trajectories of OD after trauma. Modelling was based on the joint development of all six subdomains comprising the sequential organ failure assessment score measured daily during the first two weeks post trauma. Further, the time for trajectories to stabilise and transition to final group assignments were evaluated.