Etiology, Outcome and Mortality Risk Factors in Children Burn

Abstract

Mortality rate of burn patients can serve as an objective criterion for quality control and as a measure for research and preventive programs. A prospective study of burn victims, from data of burn registry program, was conducted to determine the etiology, risk factors of mortality and outcome of pediatric burns. We had 514 patients below 15 years old. Burns caused by scalding were the most frequent (55.4%) followed by flames (35.8%). Mean (SD) of age was 3.72 (3.19) years. Male to female ratio was 1.62:1. Mean hospital stay was 14.17 days (range 0 - 46 days). The mean TBSA (SD) was 15.22% (14.31%). Fifty three patients had inhalation injury (11.25%). Inhalation injury increases the risk of death (Odds Ratio: 8.75, p = 0.009). Length of stay increased in accordance with burn area (p < 0.002). Burn wound infection was present in (35.4%) of our patients. The univariate statistics analysis and a pooled, cross-sectional, multivariate logistic regression were done. The major risk factors were: Inhalation injury (OR = 8.75, p = 0.009) and lack of intra-venous fluid resuscitation before reaching the hospital (OR = 40.5%, p = 0.001), cause of burn (flame and chemical) and referral cases from other centers (OR = 3.66, p < 0.0001). The minor risk factor was age. About 83% of our patients discharged with partial recovery, 10% with complete recovery, 0.1% referred to other hospitals and 1.36% died.