%0 Journal Article
%T Age-Related Differences in Injury Patterns and Early Care in Pediatric Polytrauma: A 13-Year Level I Trauma Center Study
%A Claire Dupont
%A Julien Martin
%J Bulletin of Pioneering Researches of Medical and Clinical Science
%@ 3006-2659
%D 2025
%V 5
%N 1
%R 10.51847/hxcvMr8ByS
%P 217-227
%X Pediatric polytrauma constitutes an intricate clinical entity characterized by distinctive attributes and demands during the initial phase of care. The present investigation was designed to evaluate injury characteristics, immediate clinical management, and clinical endpoints among pediatric polytrauma cases treated at a Level I trauma facility. Particular attention was directed toward comparisons across developmental stages and the determination of whether specific injury types serve as prognostic modifiers. Employing a prospective cohort framework, pediatric polytrauma subjects (ISS ≥ 16) were followed over a span of 13 years and stratified according to developmental phase (Group A: 0–5 years; Group B: 6–10 years; Group C: 11–15 years; and Group D: 16–18 years). Intergroup analyses were undertaken to detect disparities in acute care delivery, causative mechanisms, anatomical involvement patterns (applying AIS and ISS parameters), and fatality attributable to trauma. Supplementary evaluation of mortality-associated variables was performed. Subjects had a median age of 16 years, with males constituting the majority (64.7%). ISS values fluctuated across groups but did not reach statistical significance. The death rate within 30 days reached 19.0%, demonstrating no meaningful divergence tied to patient age. Causative mechanisms varied across age strata; vehicular collisions predominated in all categories except the youngest cohort (0–5 years), where falls were the leading mechanism. Assessment of injury distribution via AIS anatomical categories revealed cranial trauma as a powerful determinant of fatal outcome (Hazard Ratio 2.894, P < 0.001). In contrast, injuries to the thorax, abdomen, and limbs lacked a statistically meaningful correlation with death. Multivariable regression identified ISS and prehospital GCS as reliable predictors of mortality (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Despite modest age-associated disparities in trauma magnitude and therapeutic measures, cranial injury proved to be the foremost factor influencing survival. Prompt identification and intervention for traumatic brain injury are indispensable for optimizing results. Likewise, ISS and prehospital GCS were validated as reliable prognostic tools, underscoring the need for prompt assessment and stabilization. An individualized therapeutic strategy attuned to both developmental stage and injury configuration may confer survival gains within this susceptible demographic.
%U https://bprmcs.com/article/age-related-differences-in-injury-patterns-and-early-care-in-pediatric-polytrauma-a-13-year-level-i-p7kqmxga9ig7cfq