Treatment effectiveness of complex casualty amputee patients

Abstract

This study analyzes data from 182 Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care (C5) amputee patients with the goal to better understand the factors that influence their care. The data was provided from the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery while visiting the Naval Medical Center at San Diego. The analysis examines two response variables, opiate drug usage and duration in the C5 program, as a function of a number of exploratory variables, including patient demographics, injury type, and appointment statistics. Logistic and linear regression models are used for data analysis. The study concludes that an increase in attendance to physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management and rehabilitation appointments correlates with an increased likelihood in reduced opiate usage. The study also concludes that the percentage of cancelled appointments is positively associated with the amputee’s duration in the program for non-Caucasian patients, patients with an improvised explosive device injury, and amputees with an upper-extremity amputation or both a lower- and upper-extremity amputation.