A Cochrane review [Abstract]1 found no controlled trials of the effect of ATLS training (or similar) on outcomes of injury victims. Based on observational studies (6 studies evaluated ATLS courses but included no data on patient outcomes, 2 non-controlled before-and-after studies, 2 retrospective observational analyses)there was no evidence that ATLS or similar programs impact the outcome for victims of injury, although there was some evidence that educational initiatives improve knowledge of hospital staff of available emergency interventions. Furthermore, there was no evidence that trauma management systems that incorporate ATLS training impact positively on outcome.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study limitations (inability to verify whether professionals treating the patients had actually received the training, no controlled trials).
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