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Evaluation of the Pediatric Trauma Score
C R Kaufmann1, R V Maier, F P Rivara
1Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle.
JAMA
|January 5, 1990
Summary
The Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) shows no advantage over the Revised Trauma Score for pediatric trauma triage. The Revised Trauma Score offers superior accuracy and universal applicability in assessing injured children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Trauma Surgery
- Clinical Triage Tools
Background:
- The Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) is a new triage tool for children.
- Its utility requires comparison with existing scores like the Revised Trauma Score (RTS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of the PTS versus the RTS in pediatric trauma triage.
- To evaluate the accuracy and utility of both scoring systems.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 376 children (0-14 years) admitted to a level 1 trauma center.
- Analysis of correlations between PTS, RTS, and clinical outcomes (survival, Injury Severity Score, APACHE II, GCS, etc.).
Main Results:
- Both PTS and RTS correlated significantly with survival, injury severity, and resource utilization.
- RTS demonstrated higher triage accuracy (78.8%) compared to PTS (68.3%).
- PTS offered no statistical advantage over RTS.
Conclusions:
- The RTS is a universally applicable and accurate tool for pediatric trauma triage.
- The PTS does not provide additional benefits and requires learning a separate system.