Epidemiological pattern of pediatric trauma in COVID-19 outbreak: Data from a tertiary trauma center in Iran. Issue 12 (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nabian, Mohammad Hossein; Vosoughi, Fardis; Najafi, Farid; Khabiri, Seyyed Saeed; Nafisi, Maziar; Veisi, Javad; Rastgou, Vahid; Ghamari, Salam; Aakhashi, Amir; Bahrami, Nader; Naderi, Mehdi; Maleki, Shokofeh; Yekaninejad, Mir Saeed
• Is Part Of: Injury. Volume 51:Issue 12(2020)
• Page Start: 2811
• Page End: 2815
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Covid-19 -- Sars-cov-2 -- Pandemic -- Lock-down -- Children -- Trauma -- Epidemiology -- Fracture; Wounds and injuries -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Periodicals; Wounds and Injuries -- surgery -- Periodicals; Lésions et blessures -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2020.09.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-1383

Abstract

Highlights: Overall number of children with trauma dropped during the pandemic, and sex-related difference in frequency of trauma visits decreased. Proportion of pediatric injuries due to motor vehicle accidents didn't change. Proportion of home injuries increased concurrent with a decline in simple falls. Frequency of humeral supracondylar region, radioulnar shaft, distal forearm and proximal tibia fractures increased during COVID-19 outbreak. Abstract: Introduction: In Iran, like most other countries, COVID-19 has had a deep impact on children's lives. Our hypothesis was that, a significant change in the number of pediatric injuries has happened in trauma centers. In the current study, we intend to identify the possible epidemiological shift in pediatric fracture patterns, by comparing the data from 'COVID-19 era' and the mean data from the past 2 years. To the best of our knowledge there are only few reports on epidemiology of pediatric fractures during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: Data are reported in two sections. In the descriptive section, epidemiological data regarding pediatric fractures referred to Taleghani tertiary trauma center, including demographics, distribution curves, etiologies and fracture types are presented during the 'COVID era', from 1 March 2020 to 15 April 2020. In the comparative section, the aforementioned data are compared with mean data from the past 2 years, the 'non-COVID era'. Results: Altogether 117 of the 288 trauma children (40.62%) had a fractured bone (145 fractures). Patients were mostly boys, with a mean age of 9.87 years (SD=5.27). The three most common fracture types in children included distal radius, mid-forearm and humeral supracondylar fractures. Compared to non-COVID era, the number of pediatric trauma admissions dropped from 589 to 288. No significant change happened in the mean age, male/female ratio and percentage of motor vehicle accidents. Proportion of proximal humeral, proximal forearm, carpal, and hand fractures declined. The number of open fractures significantly dropped (from 12 to 2). Conclusions: In Iran, overall trend of pediatric trauma has been decreasing during the outbreak; but the lack of reduction in proportion of accidents may pose an alarm that an effective lock-down has not been imposed. This study has implications as to preparing appropriate resources particular to common "COVID era fractures".