A researcher from the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) shared findings on efforts to develop a tool to assist clinicians in predicating pneumonia in combat trauma patients during a plenary session at the Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), August 27-30.

"Pneumonia is the most common hospital acquired infection in trauma patients. Identifying predictors and using advanced modeling to develop clinical decision support tools could lead to a further decline in the incidence of morbidity associated with pneumonia," said Department Head, Regenerative Medicine Department, Operational Undersea Medicine Directorate, Cmdr. Matthew Bradley.

Bradley, along with other military and industry collaborators collected data on casualties with combat extremity wounds and analyzed the incidences of pneumonia. After analyzing data and utilizing serum to measure inflammatory biomarkers, a series of algorithms were created to allow for the identification of factors predictive of pneumonia with high accuracy.

"Advanced modeling allowed for the identification factors predicative of pneumonia in a number of combat trauma patients, this is a huge step forward in continuing to care for the warfighter," said Bradley.

According to Bradley, more research is needed for model validation and further development of a clinical decision support tool to identify all critically ill patients at risk for pneumonia.

Pneumonia, a common lung infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi, causes the lungs' air sacks to become inflamed and can fill with fluid, pus and cellular debris.

MHSRS is the Department of Defense's (DoD) premier scientific meeting; a unique collaborative opportunity for military medical care providers, DoD scientists, academia and industry to exchange information on research advancements and health care developments in the areas of combat casualty care, military operational medicine, clinical and rehabilitative medicine and military infectious disease research program.

NMRC's eight laboratories are engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies at sites in austere and remote areas of the world to operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint U.S. warfighters, researchers study infectious diseases; biological warfare detection and defense; combat casualty care; environmental health concerns; aerospace and undersea medicine; medical modeling, simulation and operational mission support; and epidemiology and behavioral sciences.

NMRC and the laboratories deliver high-value, high-impact research products to support and protect today's deployed warfighters. At the same time researchers are focused on the readiness and well-being of future forces.

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