Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42696117›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2026

Patient-reported outcome measures within European cohorts of severely injured patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Laura van den Berg, Jan C van Ditshuizen, Pieter H C Leliefeld, Dennis den Hartog, Georgios F Giannakópoulos, Michiel H J Verhofstad, Mariska A C de Jongh

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Laura van den BergNetwerk Acute Zorg Brabant, Elisabeth-Tweesteden Ziekenhuis, Hilvarenbeekse Weg 60, Tilburg, 5022 GC, The Netherlands. Laura.vandenberg@etz.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7929-3796
Jan C van DitshuizenNetwerk Acute Zorg Zuidwest, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Pieter H C LeliefeldNetwerk Acute Zorg Brabant, Elisabeth-Tweesteden Ziekenhuis, Hilvarenbeekse Weg 60, Tilburg, 5022 GC, The Netherlands.
Dennis den HartogNetwerk Acute Zorg Zuidwest, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Georgios F GiannakópoulosDepartment of Surgery & Trauma Centre/HEMS Lifeliner 1, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Michiel H J VerhofstadTrauma Research Unit, Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Mariska A C de JonghNetwerk Acute Zorg Brabant, Elisabeth-Tweesteden Ziekenhuis, Hilvarenbeekse Weg 60, Tilburg, 5022 GC, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSevere injury affects multiple health-related domains, yet comprehensive European data on patient-reported outcomes remain limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) use and outcomes in severely injured European cohorts.

methodsA systematic search of four databases up to October 14, 2025, identified European studies from 2000 onward reporting PROMs in severely injured patients. Severe injury was defined as an Injury Severity Score ≥ 16, Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8, intensive care unit admission, spinal cord injury, traumatic amputations, or pelvic fractures. Two reviewers independently screened records, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Meta-analysis was performed when ≥ 3 studies reported comparable PROMs at similar follow-up timepoints.

resultsOf 2,479 studies, 119 were included. Most cohorts originated from the Netherlands (26%), Norway (18%), and Germany (16%). General severely injured cohorts were most frequently studied (61%), followed by traumatic brain injury (17%), and spinal cord injury (15%). In total, 94 PROMs were used across 277 follow-up timepoints. Health-related quality of life was assessed most frequently (63%), after that anxiety/depression (14%), post-traumatic stress (9%), and social functioning (6%). At one year follow-up, the pooled EuroQol-5D-3 L index score was 0.70 (95% CI 0.62-0.77) and VAS score was 68 (95% CI 60-75), indicating persistent impairment compared to population norms.

conclusionSeverely injured patients show persistent impairments with incomplete restoration of pre-injury functioning. Despite increased PROMs use, heterogeneity in selection and outcome reporting limits comparability, underscoring the need for standardised PROM assessment to improve outcome evaluation after severe injury.

Indexed as

Patient Reported Outcome MeasuresWounds and InjuriesEuropeHumansInjury Severity ScoreQuality of LifeEuropePatient-reported outcomesPhysical injuryPsychosocial factorsQuality of lifeSevere trauma

Identifiers

PMID42696117
PMCPMC13545052

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.