The negative effect of preexisting cirrhosis on blunt liver trauma patients: a multifaceted approach from the trauma quality improvement program database

Purpose: To assess the impact of pre-existing cirrhosis on the outcomes of non-operatively managed blunt liver trauma within the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database.

Methods: A study of non-operatively managed blunt liver injury patients from 2016 to 2019 was conducted. Propensity score matching analyzed mortality, complications, and hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients with and without cirrhosis. The effect of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was determined using multivariate logistic regression.

Results: Out of 63,946 patients, 767 (1.2%) had pre-existing cirrhosis. Following 1:1 matching, those with cirrhosis experienced more hemorrhage (TAE need: 5.7% vs. 2.7%; transfusion volume: 639.1 vs. 259.3 ml), complications (acute kidney injury: 5.1% vs. 2.8%; sepsis: 2.4% vs. 1.0%), and poorer outcomes (mortality: 19.5% vs. 10.2%; hospital LOS: 11.6 vs. 8.4 days; ICU LOS: 12.1 vs. 7.4 days; ventilator days: 7.6 vs. 1.6). Notably, TAE was associated with increased mortality in cirrhotic patients (odds ratio: 4.093) but did not significantly affect mortality in patients without cirrhosis.

Conclusions: Within TQIP, pre-existing cirrhosis is a significant negative determinant for outcomes in blunt liver trauma. Cirrhotic patients undergoing TAE for hemostasis face greater mortality risk than non-cirrhotic counterparts.