Comparative study of the causes of severe trauma in 1990 and 1998

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the epidemiology of severe trauma in pediatric patients and to analyse the variations that occurred along the time. METHODS: Patients aged less than 16 years old admitted in 1990 and 1998 in our intensive care unit of Sant Pau Hospital with diagnosis of trauma were included. The different causes of accidents regarding age, kinf of lesion and admission type were investigated. The variations observed between the two years were compared. RESULTS: The 12.5% of 88 patients admitted in 1990 were aged less than two years, 36.6% were aged between two and eight years old and 48.8% between eight and fifteen years. Pedestrians were the main cause of accident with 38.37% followed by precipitation in 27.90% and car accident with 24.26%. In 1998, 3.03% of 66 patients who were admitted had less than two years, 28.78% were aged between two and eight years and 68.18% between eight and fifteen years old. The precipitation was the main cause of accident and occurred in 24.24%. Motorbike, car and bicycle accident was observed in 18.18%, 16.16% and in 15.15% respectively. Cranial traumathism was the most important lesion in both years, representing 75% in 1990 and 66% in 1998. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease of accidents in pediatric patients aged less than eight years and an increase of them in patients with age between eight and fifteen years has been observed. Also a decrease in pedestrians and car accidents has been observed while a dramatic increase of motorbike accidents and bicycle accidents appeared. The cranial thraumathism was the most important lesion observed in both years.