title: Pediatric Spine Trauma in the United States--Analysis of the HCUP Kid'S Inpatient Database (KID) 1997-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few references are available describing the epidemiology of pediatric spine injuries. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence, risk factors and trends during the period from 1997 to 2009 of pediatric spine injuries in the United States using a large national database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was obtained from the Kid's Inpatient Database (KID) developed by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), for the years 1997-2009. This data includes >3 million discharges from 44 states and 4121 hospitals on children younger than 20 years. Weighted variables are provided which allow for the calculation of national prevalence rates. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), HCUP. net, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data were used for verification and comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A prevalence of 107.96 pmp (per million population) spine injuries in children and adolescents was found in 2009, which is increased from the 77.07 pmp observed in 1997. The group 15 to 19 years old had the highest prevalence of all age groups in (345.44 pmp). Neurological injury was present in 14.6% of the cases, for a prevalence of 15.82 pmp. The majority (86.7%) of these injuries occurred in children >15 years. Motor vehicle collisions accounted for 52.9% of all spine injuries, particularly in children >15 years. Between 1997 and 2009 the hospital length of stay decreased, but hospital charges demonstrated a significant increase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric Spine Injuries continue to be a relevant problem, with rates exceeding those of other industrialized nations. Teenagers >15 years of age were at greatest risk, and motor vehicle collisions accounted for the most common mechanism. An increase in prevalence was observed between 1997 and 2009, and this was matched by a similar increase in hospital charges.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Lattes
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Besomi
authors.forename: Cormac
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.forename: Gnanapragasam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnanapradeep
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: Yubo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology