The predictive validity of the Pediatric Trauma Score

Abstract

The Pediatric Trauma Score was evaluated in 450 injured children by a paramedic in the field and a physician in an E.D. There was agreement between the scores of these two individuals 93.6% of the time, correlation coefficient 0.991, r2 = 0.982. Further testing at the 0.01 level of significance indicated that a positive association existed between these two variables in the population from which our sample was drawn. Mortality for the group was 2.9%. No deaths occurred in patients whose PTS was greater than 8, which was defined as the Critical Triage Point. The sensitivity of the PTS when used for triage at the critical triage point was 95.8%. The specificity of the PTS was 98.6%. The Pediatric Trauma Score appears to be highly accurate, reliable, predictable, and easy to use for assessing the severity of injury and hence is a straightforward modality for triage of injured children.