Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Conventional wisdom and recently published reports suggest that children <48 months of age have a higher mortality rate after burns than older children and adolescents with similar injuries and that young age is a predictor of mortality. This study was done to validate or refute this impression. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Regional pediatric burn center. PATIENTS: All children (n = 1223) managed over a recent 8-yr interval (1991-1998) for acute thermal burns. INTERVENTIONS: The survival rate of children <48 months of age was compared with the survival rate of children >/=48 months of age. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN ⋯ Young age is not a predictor of mortality in burns.