Calculating the Revised Trauma Score

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 120 views

**When a Patient with a GCS of 13, Systolic 80, Respiration 8: What Would Be the Revised Trauma Score?**

Understanding the Revised Trauma Score (RTS)

The Revised Trauma Score (RTS) is a widely used scoring system in emergency medicine to assess the severity of trauma patients. It takes into account three vital signs: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and respiratory rate (RR). The RTS is calculated by assigning points to each vital sign and adding them together to obtain a total score. The score ranges from 0 to 7, with higher scores indicating a lower severity of injury.

Calculating the Revised Trauma Score

To calculate the RTS, you need to assign points to each vital sign as follows:

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS):
- 4 points for a GCS of 15
- 3 points for a GCS of 14
- 2 points for a GCS of 13
- 1 point for a GCS of 12 or less
Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP):
- 4 points for a SBP of 90 mmHg or higher
- 3 points for a SBP of 70-89 mmHg
- 2 points for a SBP of 50-69 mmHg
- 1 point for a SBP of 40-49 mmHg
- 0 points for a SBP of 39 mmHg or lower
Respiratory Rate (RR):
- 4 points for a RR of 12 breaths per minute or lower
- 3 points for a RR of 13-20 breaths per minute
- 2 points for a RR of 21-30 breaths per minute
- 1 point for a RR of 31-40 breaths per minute
- 0 points for a RR of 41 breaths per minute or higher

Case Study: Patient with a GCS of 13, Systolic 80, Respiration 8

Let's calculate the RTS for a patient with a GCS of 13, systolic blood pressure of 80 mmHg, and respiratory rate of 8 breaths per minute.

GCS: 2 points (GCS of 13)
SBP: 2 points (SBP of 50-69 mmHg)
RR: 4 points (RR of 12 breaths per minute or lower)

Adding the points together, we get a total RTS of 8.

Interpretation of the Revised Trauma Score

The RTS is a useful tool for assessing the severity of trauma patients. A higher RTS score indicates a lower severity of injury, while a lower score indicates a higher severity of injury. The RTS can be used to:

Predict mortality: Patients with a lower RTS score are more likely to die from their injuries.
Guide treatment: Patients with a higher RTS score may require less aggressive treatment, while patients with a lower RTS score may require more aggressive treatment.
Assess severity: The RTS can be used to assess the severity of injury and guide further evaluation and treatment.

Q&A

Q: What is the Revised Trauma Score (RTS)? A: The RTS is a scoring system used to assess the severity of trauma patients. It takes into account three vital signs: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and respiratory rate (RR).

Q: How is the RTS calculated? A: The RTS is calculated by assigning points to each vital sign and adding them together to obtain a total score. The score ranges from 0 to 7, with higher scores indicating a lower severity of injury.

Q: What is the significance of the RTS? A: The RTS is a useful tool for assessing the severity of trauma patients. It can be used to predict mortality, guide treatment, and assess severity of injury.

Q: What is the normal range for the RTS? A: The normal range for the RTS is 0 to 7, with higher scores indicating a lower severity of injury.

Q: Can the RTS be used in all types of trauma patients? A: The RTS can be used in most types of trauma patients, but it may not be suitable for patients with certain types of injuries, such as spinal cord injuries or severe burns.

Q: How often should the RTS be calculated? A: The RTS should be calculated as soon as possible after arrival in the emergency department and repeated as necessary to assess changes in the patient's condition.

Q: What are the limitations of the RTS? A: The RTS has several limitations, including its reliance on a small number of vital signs, its inability to account for other important factors, such as age and comorbidities, and its potential for variability in scoring.

Conclusion

The Revised Trauma Score (RTS) is a widely used scoring system in emergency medicine to assess the severity of trauma patients. It takes into account three vital signs: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and respiratory rate (RR). The RTS can be used to predict mortality, guide treatment, and assess severity of injury. However, it has several limitations, including its reliance on a small number of vital signs and its inability to account for other important factors.