Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Comparative Study
Burn mortality in Chandigarh zone: 25 years autopsy experience from a tertiary care hospital of India.
An analysis of autopsy records of burn victims revealed that most burn deaths occurred in the age group 21-40 years (67 per cent) with female preponderance (61 per cent) in all age groups except in the extreme age groups. 62 per cent of burn cases originated in urban areas. The majority of subjects (99 per cent females and 76 per cent males) died as a result of flame burns. Kerosene was the most common factor (76 per cent) in burn deaths. 11 per cent of deaths were due to the stove bursting and 27 per cent of victims died due to leakage of oil from the stove. 39 per cent of subjects sustained burns when their clothes caught fire. ⋯ Among males, burn deaths were more common (85 per cent) in those who were living alone, away from their families; whereas in women the incidence of burn deaths was higher (74 per cent) in those living with their families. The majority of deaths due to burns occurred within one week (77 per cent) of the incident. Septicaemia was the major cause of death (55 per cent).
-
Comparative Study
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor improves suppressed neutrophilic phagocytosis against hypernatremic condition.
Phagocytic activity is an important function of neutrophils in the host defense against burn wound infection. In a previous report we demonstrated hypernatremic suppression of neutrophils at sodium concentrations comparable to these in the zone of stasis in the burn wound. At this site the osmotic pressure will be elevated as a result of several factors, especially to increased water loss from the burn wound surface. ⋯ The G-CSF group showed 88.2+/-7.0 at 140, 79.9+/-9.4 at 180, 71.4+/-7.4 at 220, and 56.5+/-14.1 at 260 mmol/l. At 180 and 220 mmol/l significant differences were recognized. Results of this study suggest a favourable effect of G-CSF on suppressed neutrophils under the hypernatremic conditions.
-
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a frequent cause of nosocomial infection, its increasing prevalence posing serious therapeutic and infection control problems within the hospital environment. MRSA is a major challenge to the burn patient, with potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality. Burn patients have been shown to become colonised and infected more readily than other patient groups. ⋯ Extended hospitalisation and antibiotic therapy have been identified as additional risk factors for MRSA carriage and infection. Microbial surveillance, epidemiological studies and the introduction of strict infection control regimes can reduce the prevalence of MRSA but may be insufficient for eradication or prevention of outbreak situations. Recognition of the clinical importance of MRSA to the burn patient highlights the need to take appropriate measures to minimise transmission and infection in this vulnerable group of patients.
-
During a 12-month period 239 children who presented with a burn injury at the Emergency Department of a teaching children's hospital in Athens, with city-wide coverage, and 239 gender- and age-matched controls with minor non-injury ailments were interviewed. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics of the children and their families, information allowing the construction of a burn avoidance index in their homes and items from the Achenback scale that were synthesized into a child activity score. The data were analyzed through conditional logistic regression. ⋯ The kitchen in an inherently high risk place for injuries and the powerful inverse association of the burn avoidance index with burn injury risk points towards steps that could be easily taken and impart substantial protection. There was no evidence in this study of burn injury proneness or that hyperactivity of the child increased the risk of burn injury; indeed, the results point in the opposite direction. Our results strongly support the view that childhood burn injuries are largely environmentally conditioned and, accordingly, easily preventable.
-
This report concerns a previously healthy patient who presented with 8% total body surface area burn wounds to his face and neck. Even though his burn wounds healed quickly, his course was complicated by the development of toxic epidermal necrolysis affecting 60% total body surface area due to a drug reaction. During the recovery period he subsequently developed jaundice and pancreatitis -- a rare and interesting course that is not well described in the literature.