Mustafa Oguz CUMAOGLU, Abdussamed VURAL, Hakan GUNER, Recep Kemal SOYLU, Sabri SEKME, Turkan YILDIZ
Archives of Current Medical Research - 2026;7(1):102-119
Background: Traffic accidents are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents. Comprehensive data combining demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings in Türkiye are limited. This study aimed to evaluate epidemiology, injury distributions, laboratory results, and prognostic factors associated with clinical outcomes and mortality. Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort included 586 patients (0-17 years) who presented to the emergency department in 2024 after traffic accidents (ICD-10 V00-V89). Demographic characteristics, mechanisms, injury sites, laboratory parameters, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Binary logistic regression identified factors independently associated with mortality after age adjustment. Results: The cohort comprised 392 males (66.9%) and 194 females (33.1%) with a median age of 12 years (IQR 8-15). In-vehicle accidents (54.6%) and pedestrian injuries (24.6%) were most common. Male sex and adolescent age were associated with greater injury severity and adverse outcomes. Among laboratory parameters, only INR was significantly higher in non-survivors (median 1.18 vs 1.06; p < 0.001) and was also elevated among hospitalized and surgically treated patients. Mortality occurred in 13 patients (2.2%). Head trauma was the strongest independent predictor of death (adjusted OR 24.7; 95% CI 6.6-93.0; p<0.001), while thoracic, abdominal/pelvic, and lower-extremity injuries also increased risk. Conclusion: Head trauma is the key determinant of mortality in pediatric traffic accidents, with male gender and adolescence conferring additional risk. Incorporating simple clinical and laboratory indicators-particularly INR-into early evaluation may enhance triage, optimize resource use, and improve outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of early identification of high-risk injury patterns in optimizing pediatric emergency management.
