Citation

Oyetunji TA, Haider AH, Downing SR, Bolorunduro OB, Efron DT, Haut ER, Chang DC, Cornwell EE, Abdullah F, Siram SM. Am. J. Surg. 2011; 201(4): 445-449.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. toyetunji@howard.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.amjsurg.2010.10.006

PMID

21421097

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Accidental traumatic injury is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The authors hypothesized that no mortality difference should exist between children seen at ATC (adult trauma centers) versus ATC with added qualifications in pediatrics (ATC-AQ).

METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank, version 7.1, was analyzed for patients aged <18 years seen at level 1 trauma centers. Bivariate analysis compared patients by ATC versus ATC-AQ using demographic and injury characteristics. Multivariate analysis adjusting for injury and demographic factors was then performed.

RESULTS: A total sample of 53,702 children was analyzed, with an overall mortality of 3.9%. The adjusted odds of mortality was 20% lower for children seen at ATC-AQ (odds ratio,.80; 95% confidence interval,.68-.94). Children aged 3 to 12 years, those with injury severity scores > 25, and those with Glasgow Coma Scale scores < 8 all had significant reductions in the odds of death at ATC-AQ.

CONCLUSIONS: Improved overall survival is associated with pediatric trauma patients treated at ATC-AQ.

Language: en