Evaluation of the Pediatric Trauma Score

A Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) was recently developed and is rapidly gaining acceptance as a triage tool. This study examines the utility of the PTS as compared with the Revised Trauma Score, which is applicable to all ages. The charts of 376 children 0 to 14 years of age who were admitted to the trauma service of a level 1 trauma center were reviewed. Significant correlations were found for both the PTS and the Revised Trauma Score with survival, the Injury Severity Score, APACHE II score, vital signs, the Glasgow Coma Scale score, hematocrit, need for an operation, and number of days in an intensive care unit. The PTS was of no statistical advantage as compared with the Revised Trauma Score. Triage accuracy was 68.3% for the PTS and 78.8% for the Revised Trauma Score. The Revised Trauma Score is easy to use and universal in its applicability. The PTS involves learning a separate scoring system and is of no advantage. ( JAMA . 1990;263:69-72)