Treatment outcomes of injured children at adult level 1 trauma centers: are there benefits from added specialized care?

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