TY - JOUR
T1 - Lower incidence of blunt cerebrovascular injury among young, properly restrained children
T2 - An ATOMAC multicenter study
AU - Nickoles, Todd A.
AU - Lewit, Ruth A.
AU - Notrica, David M.
AU - Ryan, Mark
AU - Johnson, Jeremy
AU - Maxson, Robert Todd
AU - Naiditch, Jessica A.
AU - Lawson, Karla A.
AU - Temkit, M'Hamed
AU - Padilla, Benjamin
AU - Eubanks, James W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/9/1
Y1 - 2023/9/1
N2 - BACKGROUND Motor vehicle collision (MVC) remains a leading cause of injury and death among children, but the proper use of child safety seats and restraints has lowered the risks associated with motor vehicle travel. Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is rare but significant among children involved in MVC. This study reviewed the incidence of BCVI after MVC causing blunt injury to the head, face, or neck, comparing those that were properly restrained with those that were not. METHODS A prospective, multi-institutional observational study of children younger than 15 years who sustained blunt trauma to the head, face, or neck (Abbreviated Injury Scale score >0) and presented at one of six level I pediatric trauma centers from 2017 to 2020 was conducted. Diagnosis of BCVI was made either by imaging or neurological symptoms at 2-week follow-up. Restraint status among those involved in MVC was compared for each age group. RESULTS A total of 2,284 patients were enrolled at the 6 trauma centers. Of these, 521 (22.8%) were involved in an MVC. In this cohort, after excluding patients with missing data, 10 of 371 (2.7%) were diagnosed with a BCVI. For children younger than 12 years, none who were properly restrained suffered a BCVI (0 of 75 children), while 7 of 221 (3.2%) improperly restrained children suffered a BCVI. For children between 12 and 15 years of age, the incidence of BCVI was 2 of 36 (5.5%) for children in seat belts compared with 1 of 36 (2.8%) for unrestrained children. CONCLUSION In this large multicenter prospectively screened pediatric cohort, the incidence of BCVI among properly restrained children under 12 years after MVC was infrequent, while the incidence was 3.2% among those without proper restraint. This effect was not seen among children older than 12 years. Restraint status in young children may be an important factor in BCVI screening. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.
AB - BACKGROUND Motor vehicle collision (MVC) remains a leading cause of injury and death among children, but the proper use of child safety seats and restraints has lowered the risks associated with motor vehicle travel. Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is rare but significant among children involved in MVC. This study reviewed the incidence of BCVI after MVC causing blunt injury to the head, face, or neck, comparing those that were properly restrained with those that were not. METHODS A prospective, multi-institutional observational study of children younger than 15 years who sustained blunt trauma to the head, face, or neck (Abbreviated Injury Scale score >0) and presented at one of six level I pediatric trauma centers from 2017 to 2020 was conducted. Diagnosis of BCVI was made either by imaging or neurological symptoms at 2-week follow-up. Restraint status among those involved in MVC was compared for each age group. RESULTS A total of 2,284 patients were enrolled at the 6 trauma centers. Of these, 521 (22.8%) were involved in an MVC. In this cohort, after excluding patients with missing data, 10 of 371 (2.7%) were diagnosed with a BCVI. For children younger than 12 years, none who were properly restrained suffered a BCVI (0 of 75 children), while 7 of 221 (3.2%) improperly restrained children suffered a BCVI. For children between 12 and 15 years of age, the incidence of BCVI was 2 of 36 (5.5%) for children in seat belts compared with 1 of 36 (2.8%) for unrestrained children. CONCLUSION In this large multicenter prospectively screened pediatric cohort, the incidence of BCVI among properly restrained children under 12 years after MVC was infrequent, while the incidence was 3.2% among those without proper restraint. This effect was not seen among children older than 12 years. Restraint status in young children may be an important factor in BCVI screening. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level IV.
KW - Blunt cerebrovascular injury
KW - carotid
KW - pediatric
KW - screening
KW - vertebral
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U2 - 10.1097/TA.0000000000003900
DO - 10.1097/TA.0000000000003900
M3 - Article
C2 - 36899460
AN - SCOPUS:85168791796
SN - 2163-0755
VL - 95
SP - 334
EP - 340
JO - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
JF - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
IS - 3
ER -