Which Trauma Severity Scores Are Useful in Predicting Pediatric Mortality?

Background And Objectives: Trauma is the leading cause of death in children. Several trauma severity scores exist: the shock index (SI), age-adjusted SI (SIPA), reverse SI (rSI), and rSI multiplied by Glasgow Coma Score (rSIG). However, it is unknown which is the best predictor of clinical outcomes in children.

Misdiagnosis of Pediatric Concussions in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: We aimed to determine the rate and predictors of correctly diagnosed concussions in the pediatric emergency department and to describe the characteristics, presentation, and management of concussions in children presenting for minor head injury.

Methods: We included 186 patients aged 5 to 18 years presenting within 24 hours of minor head injuries and met our diagnostic criteria for concussion. We compared patients correctly diagnosed with a concussion with those who were not.

Lead screening in children presenting to three hospitals in Lebanon.

Background: Lead damages most body organs and its effects are most profound in children. In a study in Beirut in 2003, before banning the leaded gasoline, 79% of the participants showed blood lead levels (BLLs) higher than 5 µg/dL. The prevalence of lead exposure in Lebanon after the ban on leaded gasoline has not been studied.