title: [Pediatric victims of traffic accidents admitted to a university hospital: epidemiological and clinical aspects].
abstract: This study analyzes epidemiological and clinic characteristics of victims of traffic accidents. Data were obtained from medical records of children under 15 years of age (n = 1,123) admitted to a university hospital in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from 1999 to 2003. Mean age was eight years, 65.7% were boys, 76.6% were cyclists or pedestrians, 45.9% suffered head injuries, and 9% remained in hospital for more than two weeks. Fourteen (1.2%) died, 78.6% of these within 48 hours of hospitalization, and 85.7% with brain injuries. Among the passengers of motorcycles and larger vehicles, 58.8% were not using security devices properly at the time of the accident. Among the cyclists, 61% suffered isolated limb injuries. Meanwhile, pedestrians tended to suffer multiple lesions (57.5%) and be admitted to intensive care (7.1%), and represented 66.7% of the deaths. Epidemiological data on pediatric traffic victims can be useful for accident prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rua Johen Carneiro 870, Uberlândia, MG 38400, Brazil. jlpontes@triang.com.br
authors.forename: Juliana Pontes Pinto
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Feitas
authors.forename: Lindioneza Adriano
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Miguel Tanús
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jorge
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014186:Transportation; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*
vernacular_title: Vítimas de acidentes de trânsito na faixa etária pediátrica atendidas em um hospital universitário: aspectos epidemiológicos e clínicos.