When comparing two populations of multiply injured @entity1 differences in @entity1 characteristics must be controlled for. To measure the overall severity of injury, scaling systems are used. If after adjustment for injury severity, the proportion of deaths in the two data sets are still different, the difference is to be considered as due to the quality of care. However, this conclusion is only valid after excluding the possibility that the scale in use fails to adequately reflect certain injuries. The scope of the study is to demonstrate a method for examining this potential interference. As an example, four widely used scales were applied to the data of 418 multiply injured @entity1 . By means of multiple logistic regression analysis, variables were selected which have an influence on prognosis in addition to a scale, thus indicating a subgroup of @entity1 who are underrepresented by the respective scoring system. For the scales examined, these additional variables were: Head and thoracic @entity130 for the Polytrauma score (Oestern), abdominal and thoracic @entity130 for the @entity130 index (Schreinlechner), thoracic @entity130 and age for the @entity130 score (Champion), @entity542 and age for the Injury Severity Score (Baker). We conclude that each score analyzed had its characteristic weak points. Prognostic quality was affected by casemix. Therefore, comparisons between groups of polytraumatized @entity1 may be invalidated. The method outlined here is a useful means for checking a scoring system for these types of interfering variables. Therefore, it is recommended to search routinely for potentially interfering variables before applying a scale. In a given data set of multiply injured @entity1 , appropriate adjustments can then be made for the deficiencies of the scoring system.

[Effects of injury pattern on the predictability of 4 multiple XXXX scores. Presentation of a method for identifying artifacts].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity542 :: ('MESH:D006259', 'Disease') :: ['head trauma'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['Trauma', 'trauma']
@entity130 :: (MESH:D014947,Disease) :: ['trauma']
