Maryam Ziaee - Department of Emergency Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Amirhossein Mirafzal - Department of Emergency Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Objective: To evaluate the association of base deficit (BD) with mortality in traumatized children, and to assess this association in a subgroup of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).   Methods: In this cross-sectional study performed prospectively on a convenience sample of patients under ۱۶ years of age with trauma presenting to an academic level ІІ trauma center, we obtained venous BD values initially and followed the patients for in-hospital mortality. Initial vital signs were measured and injury severity score (ISS), randomized trauma score (RTS), and pediatric trauma score (PTS) were calculated.   Results: A total of ۱۰۲ patients were included, with ۴۸ patients diagnosed with TBI. Nine patients (۸.۸%) died during admission, of which ۶ were diagnosed with TBI. Based on the univariate analysis, BD was associated with mortality in the whole group (P = ۰.۰۱), but not in the TBI subgroup (P = ۰.۰۸). In multivariable analysis, RTS was the only variable independently associated with mortality (P = ۰.۰۰۱, odds ratio [OR] = ۰.۱۹۷). Linear regression model showed that BD was predictive of ISS, RTS, and PTS. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve showed a cutoff point of -۷ mmol/L for BD, below which there is a ۱۲ fold increased risk for mortality.   Conclusion: BD is a useful parameter in mortality prediction in pediatric trauma like in adult age group, but this predictive role in TBI patients is not supported by our results.

Base deficit, mortality, Pediatric trauma