Development of A Framework for Managing Severe Burns Through A 17-Year Retrospective Analysis of Burn Epidemiology and Outcomes

Abstract

Background Burns are one of the most common injuries in daily life for all ages of population. This study was to investigate the epidemiology and outcomes among burn patients in one of the largest burn centers in the southwest of China. Methods The study was performed at the Institute of Burn Research in the first affiliated with the Army Medical University (AMU). A total of 17939 burn patients were included in this retrospective study. Information regarding demographic, burn characteristics, and the burn severity of ABSI were collected, calculated and compared. Results The age ranged from 257 days to 95 years old. Scalding and flame were the two most common causes to burn injuries, comprising of 91.96% in total. Limbs, head/face/neck, and trunk were the most frequently occurred burn sites, with the number and the percent of 12324 (68.70%), 7989 (44.53%), and 7771 (43.32%), respectively. The average total body surface area (TBSA) was 13.64 ± 16.83% (median 8%) with a range of 0.1 ~ 100%. A total of 874 (4.9%) patients had TBSA > 50%. The presence of a burn with an inhalation injury was confirmed in 543 patients (3.03%). The average LOS was 32.11 ± 65.72 days (median: 17days). The gender of male, the older age and the full-thickness burns were significant contributors to high medical cost. The gender of male, the older age and the full-thickness burns were significantly associated with high medical cost and were contributors to the mortality. Eventually, the retrospective analysis resulted in the development of a framework of burn management continuum used for developing strategies to prevent and manage severe burns. Conclusion The annual number of burn injuries has kept decreasing while the cure rates of severe burns have improved; However, the burn severity and the economic burden were still in a high level. The gender difference and age difference should be considered when making individualized interventions and rehabilitative treatments.