title: Transport disposition using the Transport Risk Assessment in Pediatrics (TRAP) score.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Determining appropriate disposition for referred pediatric patients is difficult, since it relies primarily on a telephone description of the patient. In this study, we evaluate the Transport Risk Assessment in Pediatrics (TRAP) score's ability to assist in appropriate placement of these patients. This novel tool is derived from physiologic variables.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the feasibility of calculating a TRAP score and whether a higher score correlates with pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an observational study of pediatric patients transported by a specialized team to a tertiary care center and the feasibility of implementing the TRAP tool. Patients were eligible if transported by the pediatric specialty transport team for direct admission to the children's hospital. The TRAP score was obtained either through chart review of the transport team's initial assessment or in real time by the transport team.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 269 patients were identified, with 238 patients included in the study. Using logistic regression, higher TRAP scores were associated with PICU admission (odds ratio [OR] 1.40, p < 0.001). Patients with a higher score were also less likely to leave the PICU within 24 hours (OR 0.79, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TRAP score is a novel objective pediatric transport assessment tool where an elevated score is associated with PICU admission for more than 24 hours. This score may assist with the triage decisions for transported pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8064, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kandil
authors.forename: Heather A Schmenk
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Northrup
authors.forename: Michael Theodore
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bigham
authors.forename: John Sebastian
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Giuliano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013038:Specialization; D014187:Transportation of Patients