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. 2023 Jan 28;13(2):238.
doi: 10.3390/jpm13020238.

Emergency Care for Burn Patients-A Single-Center Report

Andrei Niculae  1 , Ileana Peride  1 , Mirela Tiglis  2 , Ana Maria Nechita  3 , Lucian Cristian Petcu  4 , Tiberiu Paul Neagu  5
Affiliations

Emergency Care for Burn Patients-A Single-Center Report

Andrei Niculae et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Burns, one of the main public health problems, lead to significant mortality and morbidity. Epidemiological studies regarding burn patients in Romania are scarce. The aim of this study is to identify the burn etiology, demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes in patients requiring treatment in a regional burn unit.

Design: We performed a retrospective observational study of 2021.

Patients: All patients admitted to our six-bed intensive care unit (ICU) were included.

Interventions: The following data were collected for further analysis: demographics, burn pattern (etiology, size, depth, affected body region), type of ventilation, ABSI (Abbreviated Burn Severity Index) score, comorbidities, bioumoral parameters, and hospitalization days.

Results: There were 93 burned patients included in our study that were divided into two groups: alive patients' group (63.4%) and deceased patients' group (36.6%). The mean age was 55.80 ± 17.16 (SD). There were 65.6% male patients, and 39.8% of the patients were admitted by transfer from another hospital. Further, 59 patients presented third-degree burns, from which 32.3% died. Burns affecting >37% of the total body surface area (TBSA) were noticed in 30 patients. The most vulnerable regions of the body were the trunk (p = 0.003), the legs (p = 0.004), the neck (p = 0.011), and the arms (p = 0.020). Inhalation injury was found in 60.2% of the patients. The risk of death in a patient with an ABSI score > 9 points was 72 times higher. Comorbidities were present in 44.1% of the patients. We observed a median LOS (length of stay) of 23 days and an ICU-LOS of 11 days. Logistic regression analysis showed that admission protein, creatinkinase, and leukocytes were independent risk factors for mortality. The general mortality rate was 36.6%.

Conclusion: A thermal factor was responsible for the vast majority of burns, 94.6% of cases being accidents. Extensive and full-thickness burns, burns affecting the arms, inhalation injuries, the need for mechanical ventilation, and a high ABSI score represent important risk factors for mortality. Considering the results, it appears that prompt correction of protein, creatinkinase, and leukocytes levels may contribute to improvement in severe burn patients' outcomes.

Keywords: burn etiology; burn injury; epidemiology; outcome; regional burn unit.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patients from the burn unit from January to December 2021.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patients’ distribution according to the primary hospital of admission.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Geographical distribution of patients.
Figure 4
Figure 4
ROC curve for the TBSA (%) variable (TBSA—total body surface area).
Figure 5
Figure 5
ROC curve for the ABSI variable (ABSI—the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index).
Figure 6
Figure 6
ROC curve for the length of hospitalization (LOS) variable.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Comparison of TBSA (%) with LOS and patients’ discharge status. TBSA—total body surface area; LOS—length of stay.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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