Acute Myocardial Dysfunction and Chest Trauma - The Strainy Trauma Study

Thoracic trauma is the cause of significant morbidity and accounts for 25% of trauma-related deaths.

The myocardial contusion (MC) is a distinct injury, which has a prevalence increasing with the severity of the trauma. The diagnostic tool is a major factor to vary the prevalence of MC (i.e. clinical exam, biology, electrocardiogram), with the highest values for autopsy series, until 24% of patients. It does not exist therefore of gold standard for the diagnosis of MC in clinical practice leading to a modest knowledge of this nosological entity. In clinical practice, troponin plasma level determines the diagnostic.

Otherwise, the measurement of myocardial strain (2D-strain) by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a robust tool to assess the myocardial function. This ultrasound analysis allows an objective and topographical quantification of an acute myocardial dysfunction, be it global or segmental. 2D-strain has been thus has been validated for the diagnosis of myocardial dysfunction in medical setting. Its use in trauma setting has never been reported.

Inclusion criteria

• severe trauma patients with blunt chest trauma
• (AIS Thorax score ≥ 1)
• admitted in our trauma intensive care unit
• and included within the 24 first hours following trauma

Exclusion criteria

• Imminent death
• Recovered cardiocirculatory arrest following trauma
• Critical patient : AIS score ≥5 on 1 lesion, requiring ECLS (extracorporeal life support) or REBOA (resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta)
• Refractory hypovolaemia
• Arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation
• Congenital heart disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, moderate or severe pre-existing valvular heart disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
• Valve prosthesis or pacemaker
• Insufficient quality of ultrasound image to allow correct assessment of 2D-strain
• Pregnant woman and underage patients