Prediction of Mortality Outcome in Thermally Burned Patients. A prospective Study of Cases Admitted to Burn Unit-Ain Shams University Hospitals-During the Year 2011

Abstract

Burn is a huge public health problem and remains one of the major causes of mortality and long term disability throughout the world especially in developing countries. Moreover, many patients are hospitalized with burn related trauma each year. Over the past few decades, survival amongst patients with major burns has improved with advances in patient management and organization of burn centers. However, burn related mortality remains high and the burden of care is vast. Accurate prediction of mortality in cases with burn is important for realistic family counseling, hospital resource allocation and appropriate interpretation of the variation in outcomes between different burn care units. Thus, study of the contributing factors to mortality has been an integral part of burns research. In cases of death due to burn injury with allegations of medical negligence, it is of great medico-legal importance to determine if the death is caused by fatal burn injury or due to other factors related to treatment or other complications. Therefore, study of early predictors of mortality in cases with burn injuries may help to distinguish fatal burn injuries. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the mortality in thermally injured patients and demographic variables (age and gender), surface area of burns (both of total body surface area (TBSA) and full thickness surface area (FTSA) of burns) and APACHE III score. The study aimed also to investigate the association between mortality and presence of thermal inhalation injury and early requirement of mechanical ventilation.