Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Sustaining a moderate to severe burn injury is associated with the potential for substantial impairments to long-term physical and psychosocial health, including health related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of this study was to identify clinical and patient characteristics which predict HRQoL 12-months after injury. ⋯ Given the complexity of burn care rehabilitation, physical and psychosocial screening and assessment within the first weeks after a burn injury along with adequate monitoring after discharge should be undertaken in burn injured patients. In this context, patients of specific demographics, such as female patients and older patients, and patients with a higher percentage of full thickness surface area burns are of greater risk for poorer physical and psychological outcomes and may benefit from additional monitoring and rehabilitation.
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Sensory, motor, and autonomic neuropathy has been reported after electrical injury. Besides subclinical involvement of the sympathetic nervous system during the 1st year post injury, late clinical manifestations of this involvement have been reported sporadically. This study was designed to investigate how the clinical and electrodiagnostic manifestations of sympathetic involvement would change with time in electricity victims. ⋯ SSR amplitude can be used as a predictive test for the symptoms of autonomic derangement to occur post electrical injury.
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The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the validity and reliability of a risk factor model developed for use in predicting dysphagia risk within the first 24 h after injury/hospitalisation in patients with thermal burns. ⋯ Overall, the risk factor model provided a valid measure for predicting dysphagia risk. Incorporating these criteria into a dysphagia screening assessment can ensure an evidence-based pathway for early detection and timely referral to speech-language pathology for patients at risk of dysphagia after thermal burns.
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In vitro efficacy evaluation of eleven topical antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria isolated from burn wounds of our patients. ⋯ Topical antimicrobials play an important role in treatment of burn wounds, but they should be used according to their efficacy against bacterial strains present in patients' wounds. In cases where topical agents have been applied after 24 h, when formation of mature biofilm in the wound could be expected, it would probably not be possible to kill all the bacteria using topical antimicrobial therapy only.
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Due to immune suppression sepsis has remained the leading cause of mortality after burns. CD marker expression in circulating blood has not been fully examined in humans. The aim of our study was to asses CD marker expression after burns and to compare it between survivors and non-survivors. ⋯ These results suggest that burns is associated with immunosuppression and overwhelming anti-inflammatory processes may be signs of bad prognosis.