The development and internal validation of a model to predict functional recovery after trauma

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 14;14(3):e0213510. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213510. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Objective: To develop and internally validate the PROgnosis of functional recovery after Trauma (PRO-Trauma) prediction model.

Design: A prospective single-center longitudinal cohort study. Patients were assessed at 6 weeks and 12 months post-injury.

Methods: Patients that presented at the emergency department with an acute traumatic injury, were prompted for participation. Patients that completed the assessments at 6 weeks and 12 months post injury were included. Exclusion criteria: age < 18, age > 65, pathologic fractures, injuries that resulted in severe neurologic deficits. The predicted outcome, functional recovery, was defined as a Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA-NL) Problems with Daily Activities (PDA) subscale ≤ 12.2 points at 12 months post-injury (Dutch population norm). Predictors were: gender, age, living with partner, number of chronic health conditions, SMFA-NL PDA score 6 weeks post-injury, ICU admission, length of stay in hospital, injury severity score, occurrence of complications and treatment type. All predictors were obtained before 6 weeks post-injury. Missing data were multiply imputed. Predictor variables were selected using backward stepwise multivariable logistic regression. Hosmer-Lemeshow tests were used to evaluate calibration. Bootstrap resampling was used to internally validate the final model.

Results: A total of 246 patients were included, of which 104 (44%) showed functional recovery. The predictors in the final PRO-Trauma model were: living with partner, the number of chronic health conditions, SMFA-NL PDA subscale score at 6 weeks post-injury and length of stay in hospital. The apparent R2 was 0.33 [0.33;0.34], the c-statistic was 0.79 [0.79;0.80]. Hosmer-Lemeshow test indicated good calibration (p = 0.92). Optimism-corrected R2 was 0.28 [0.27;0.29] and the optimism-corrected Area Under the Curve was 0.77 [0.77;0.77].

Conclusion: The PRO-Trauma prediction model can be used to obtain valid predictions of attaining functional recovery after trauma at 12 months post-injury. The PRO-Trauma prediction model showed acceptable calibration and discrimination.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injury Severity Score
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Biological*
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Recovery of Function*
  • Trauma Centers
  • Wounds and Injuries / diagnosis
  • Wounds and Injuries / physiopathology
  • Wounds and Injuries / rehabilitation*

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.6945719
  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.6945728

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.