Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Burn injuries are prevalent worldwide, especially in developing countries; and they are significant paediatric injuries in Iran. This study was performed to analyse the epidemiology and aetiology of paediatric burns in Hamadan province in the west part of Iran from March 2004 to March 2007. The incidence rate of child hospitalisation for burns was 33.4 per 100,000 person-years. ⋯ Epidemiological findings reveal that scald, age, gender and residence in rural area are the major issues that should be discussed in considering childhood burns. Prevention efforts should focus on the reduction of scald injuries during food preparation or hot liquid spillage. These efforts should target rural infants, toddlers and boys.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important agent of colonization and infection in burn units. In order to identify risk factors for MRSA acquisition in a Brazilian burn unit, we performed two retrospective studies. In the first ("cohort" study), 175 patients who were not colonized with MRSA on admission were followed to assess risk factors for MRSA acquisition. ⋯ In the "case-case-control" study, burns involving head (OR=3.43, 95%CI=1.50-7.81, P=0.003) and the number of wound excisions (OR=1.83, 95%CI=1.27-2.63, P=0.001) were significant risk factors for MRSA. Burns involving perineum were negatively associated with MSSA acquisition (OR=0.16, 95%CI=0.03-0.75, P=0.02). In conclusion, the acquisition of MRSA was related to the site of the burn and to the surgical manipulation of tissues, but not to the use of antimicrobials.
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A realistic model is very useful in laying the foundation for clinical treatment and further study of high-voltage electrical burns. We therefore established a soft-tissue-injury model of high-voltage electrical burn in rabbits using the highest voltage alternating current reported. Twenty-five healthy big-ear white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups (five in each group): control group (C group) before injury and 0.5-h, 24-h, 48-h and 72-h groups after injury. ⋯ Moreover, pathological changes were found in vital organs distal to the electric shock sites, such as the heart, liver, lung and kidney, indicating systemic injuries. The level of serum myocardial enzymes was significantly elevated, especially 24h after injury. Thus, electric shock at 3000 V output electric voltage for 0.1s can cause severe, focal, soft-tissue injury and pathological changes in the vital organs such as heart, liver, kidney and lung with the characteristics similar to those of high-voltage-electrical-burn patients.