Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) exist on a spectrum of autoimmune conditions which cause epidermal detachment and keratinocyte necrosis. Due to the rare incidence of these conditions, a dramatic heterogeneity in treatment algorithms exists. To better appreciate pharmacologic immunosuppressive therapies' impact on survival, the authors queried a multi-institutional data network. ⋯ Patients who received CS or IVIG as part of their multitherapy showed a significantly increased risk of death when compared to supportive care (CS: RR = 1.583, 95% CI [1.119, 2.240]; IVIG: RR = 2.132, 95% CI [1.485, 3.059]). Despite their frequent utilization, this study's analysis suggests that none of these therapies confer significant 90-day mortality survival over supportive care alone. These results highlight the heterogeneity of therapies and emphasize the need for critical prospective appraisal of their outcomes in SJS and TEN.
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The exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in early 2020 presented a massive challenge for healthcare systems and called for the adaptation of emergency care routines and intensive care capacities. We, therefore, analyzed a possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general structure and emergency preparedness of burn centers in German-speaking countries through a cross-sectional descriptive survey questionnaire. The survey was conducted for the first time in January 2019 by Al-Shamsi et al. before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ We noticed a pronounced increase in the preparation for a great number of patients in need of intensive care including the enlargement of overall capacity when necessary. We also showed a notable decrease in the specific preparation for burn disasters and also reduced communication with first responders and other burn centers. To what extent these alterations were caused by the impact the pandemic had on healthcare systems could not be determined in this study and should be the subject of future research.
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Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are now well-established tools to evaluate the quality of patient-centred care. Due to the multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary nature of the practice of burn care, as well as the range of significant potential sequelae, PROM's should form a fundamental component of burn quality improvement programs. We aim to 1. Explore biological, psychological, and social considerations that are currently listed in burn-specific PROM tools, as well as their efficacy, 2. Evaluate biological, psychological, and social factors that are considered in new burn-specific PROM tools or those under development, and 3. Identify any opportunities with respect to burn-specific PROM tools, in order to inform future investigation in this area. ⋯ Major burn injuries are a unique form of trauma, requiring coordinated management that considers numerous factors not relevant to other patient populations. Further research is necessary to validate existing burn-specific PROM tools and to develop more comprehensive burn-specific PROM measures that more comprehensively incorporate the bio-psycho-social model of health.
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Despite the medical and surgical improvements of paediatric burn injuries, burn injuries can be a painful and traumatic experience for the child and their family. It is therefore important to explore the experiences of caregivers who support their child throughout the burn journey. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the traumatic nature of paediatric burns on the family from a caregiver's perspective. ⋯ This study has presented the difficulties that children, young people, and their family face throughout a paediatric burn injury, which makes the implementation of timely and effective family centred interventions imperative. Meeting the needs and supporting these families with their mental health throughout this traumatic recovery journey, can ensure positive psychosocial outcomes and adaptive coping strategies are adopted early on.
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Current evidence on how the use of bromelain-based enzymatic debridement techniques (NexoBrid™) affect patient coagulation is limited. A single patient case report [1] suggests that a patient with 15% total body surface area (TBSA) burn developed decreased coagulation activity following debridement with NexoBrid™ enzymatic debridement (ED). Regional Burns Centres in the United Kingdom may be reluctant to use ED, particularly in larger burns, citing concerns regarding coagulation. At our centre we have routinely used ED on deep partial thickness burns since 2017 including on patients with burns over 15% TBSA. This study aims to investigate whether there is a significant disruption in coagulation in patients undergoing ED with burns > 15% TBSA or admitted to intensive care compared to the standard of care (SOC) which is surgical debridement in theatre. ⋯ Large burns are associated with coagulation abnormalities, therefore isolating a single variable in this cohort is challenging. However, this study found no significant change following ED use when compared to SOC and therefore no convincing evidence that ED is associated with coagulation abnormalities. This study represents one of the largest focusing on coagulation abnormalities following the use of ED, as the current literature is limited. Our study suggests that concerns regarding coagulation abnormalities should not prevent patients with large, deep partial thickness burns or full thickness burns being treated with ED.