Four year study of the risk factors of surgical wound infection in 5260 traumatological patients.

We carried out a four-year prospective study in the rehabilitation and traumatology center of the Hospital La Paz, where a total of 5260 patients were included. The objective of the study was to know the main risk factors that could influence the development of an infection of surgical wound, and get a predictive equation of infection of surgical wound in our patients. We utilized logistic regression for it, following the patient by means of active epidemiological surveillance; the main risk factors found were: immunodeficiency (OR = 8.3) wrong scaring (OR = 14.4), more than one intervention (OR = 3.5), type of surgical intervention (OR = 4.8) and incorrect use of prophylaxis (OR = 6.3). We considered that this knowledge could permit us to diminish the incidence of infections, specially if there is some of these factors, like the antimicrobial prophylaxis, that could be easily modified. Finally, upon applying to our patients the gotten equation, we get a ROC curve with 85% of the area under it, and if we take the point of cut of greater sensibility and specificity in this situation of very low prevalence of illness, it determines we could use it better in order to mark patients that don't suffer infection (high negative predictive value), making this possible to improve the efficacy of our work.