Predictive Factors of Mortality in Burn Patients

Background: Burn injuries impose a considerable burden on healthcare systems in Iran. It is among the top ten causes of mortality and a main cause of disability. Objectives: This study aimed to examine factors influencing mortality in burn patients admitted to the main educational tertiary referral hospital in Kermanshah. Patients and Methods: All patients admitted to the Imam Khomeini Hospital (from March ۲۰۱۱ to March ۲۰۱۲), due to thermal burn injuries were included in the study. We applied multiple logistic regressions to identify risk and protective factors of mortality. Also we calculated lethal area fifty percent (LA۵۰), as an aggregate index for hospital quality. Results: During the study period, ۵۴۰ burn patients were admitted. Male to female ratio was ۱.۱۲:۱. Twenty three percent of the patients were less than ۱۵ years-old. Median of age was ۲۵ years (Inter Quartile Range, ۱۶ - ۳۷). Overall, probability of death was ۲۵.۸%. Lethal area fifty percent (LA۵۰) was ۵۰.۸۲ (CI ۹۵%: ۴۷.۷۶ - ۵۴.۴۸). In the final model, after adjustment of sex, age, total body surface area (TBSA), cause of burn and it’s severity, female gender (P < ۰.۰۵), age ≥ ۶۰ years (in comparison with age less than ۱۵ years, P < ۰.۰۵) and larger burn size (P < ۰.۰۰۰۱) were identified as the main risk factors of death in these patients. Conclusions: Findings showed that the main risk factors of death were female gender, burn size and old age. Directing more attention to these vulnerable patients is required to reduce mortality and improve patient survival.

Keywords:

risk factors , Burns , mortality