Epidemiology, treatment (costs) and long-term outcomes of patients with fireworks-related injuries (ROCKET); a multicenter prospective observational case series

BACKGROUND

Fireworks-related injuries frequently occur in both adults and children. It often entails serious and avoidable injuries to innocent bystanders. Most injuries are non-fatal but a substantial amount results in life-long disabilities affecting quality of life and the use of public health services. Currently, reliable data about the affected patients, their injury characteristics, the direct and indirect costs resulting from their injury and the loss of quality of life outcomes in the long-term is lacking.



AIM

The primary aim of this study is to determine the injury characteristics of fireworks-related injuries in patients reporting to a hospital for treatment.



The secondary aims are:

1) To determine the number and type of operations needed due to of fireworks-related injuries until one year after trauma

2) To determine the duration of hospital admission in these patients

3) To determine the direct medical costs and the indirect societal costs (incl. work
absence) in these patients

4) To investigate the absence from school in these patients

5) To investigate the patient-reported outcomes in these patients

- EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-3L)

- Health Utility Index Mark 3 (domains for vision and dexterity) (HUI-3)

- Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH)

- Cold Intolerance Symptoms Severity (CISS)

- Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS)

- Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS)

- Patient satisfaction with the functional recovery and cosmesis

6) To investigate how the injury changed patient¡¯s view on the use of fireworks



STUDY DESIGN

Multicenter, prospective, observational study (case series)



POPULATION

All patients (no age limit) with fireworks-related injuries presenting to a hospital in the period between December 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 in the Trauma Region
Southwest Netherlands.



INTERVENTION

Not applicable.



ENDPOINTS

Primary outcome measure: fireworks-related injury characteristics.

Secondary outcome measures: Number and type of operations; Duration of hospital admission; Direct medical and indirect societal costs; Absence from school; Quality of life (EuroQol-5D-3L; EQ-5D-3L); Health Utilities Index 3; HUI-3 (domains vision and dexterity); Visual acuity; Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH); Cold Intolerance Severity Scale (CISS); Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS); Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS); Patient satisfaction with their functional recovery and cosmesis; How trauma has affected patient¡¯s view on the use of consumer fireworks.



RECRUITING COUNTRIES

The Netherlands.

Fireworks-related injuries have a substantial impact on the medical costs, but a much larger impact on the societal costs.

2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after hospital presentation.

Not applicable