Characteristics of 1494 pediatric burn patients in Shanghai

Dark side of customs: scalding burns in childhood due to use of traditional teacup and teapot, in Turkey

The most common type of burn among children is scalding burn. This study aims to reveal child abuse and neglect as a specific etiological factor that specific to our country, traditional teapot- and teacup-related scalding burns. Burn cases that admitted to our Burn Center were investigated, and among these, 72 cases suffering from scalding burns were included in the study. The interview forms issued upon admission of these cases were evaluated in detail. Out of 148 scalding burn cases, 48.6% were related to the use of traditional teapots and teacups. After a detailed assessment, all cases were considered neglect-related burns. As a result of considering the role of traditional teapots and teacups in pediatric injuries in our country, parents and caregivers should be warned about these types of injuries. Also, physicians must determine the possibility of child abuse or neglect in all pediatric burn cases.

Epidemiological characteristics of paediatric burn patients in China from 2016 to 2019: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological characteristics of paediatric burn can help to protect children from burn injuries. Most of the previous studies have been conducted on small scale and single centre in China. This study analysed the epidemiological characteristics of paediatric burn using a large-scale and multicentre database from 23 children's hospitals in China to increase child protection against burn injuries, improve the quality of care and reduce hospitalisation costs.

METHODS

Excerpted information from medical records of 6741 paediatric burn cases was extracted from the Futang Research Center of Pediatric Development database from 2016 to 2019. The epidemiological characteristics of patients, including gender, age, cause of burn injuries, complication, the timing of hospitalisation (season and month) and hospitalisation length and cost, were collected.

RESULTS

Male gender (63.23%), aged 1-2 years (69.95%), and hydrothermal scald (80.57%) were significantly dominant among cases. Furthermore, complications were significantly different among groups with different age of patients. Pneumonia was the most common complication (21%). Meanwhile, most paediatric burn occurred in spring (26.73%), and hospitalisation length and cost significantly depended on the cause of the burn injuries and surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This large-scale epidemiological study of paediatric burn in China revealed that boys aged 1-2 years with higher activity and lack of self-awareness are more likely to suffer from burn injuries by hydrothermal scald. In addition, complications, especially pneumonia, need attention and early prevention in paediatric burn.

Türkiye Güneydoğu Anadolu bölgesinde pediatrik yanık vakalarının analizi:10 yıllık retrospektif çalışma

Background: Burns continue to be a serious global public health problem all over the world, especially in developing countries. Materials and Methods: The age, gender, cause of injury, and total body surface area (TBSA) of the burn, complications, and mortality rate of 1,038 patients who were hospitalized in our burn center between January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2020, were analyzed. Results: The burned surface area was greater in boys than in girls. The mean burned body surface area for all patients was 9.2 ± 6.35, and the mortality rate was 1.45%. Hot liquids, such as tea, hot milk, hot water, and oily food, were the causes of burns in 84.7% of the patients. Hot objects, hot melted nylon, hot tandoor and embers, and hot asphalt accounted for 7.7% of the burns. Moreover, flame burns, electrical burns and frostbite, and other burn causes accounted for 5.6%, 1.2 %, and 0.8% of burn injuries, respectively. Conclusions: In our region, pediatric burns occurred mostly in boys under the age of three and in children whose parents had low educational levels living in rural areas. We believe that the burn prevention program should be adjusted according to these results.

Evaluation of Pediatric Maxillofacial Injury: Who Is Critical?

OBJECTIVE

Isolated facial injuries are less common among pediatric trauma patients. The literature has focused on, especially, fractures in facial injuries. There is a limited number of studies evaluating all facial injuries in childhood. The study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of maxillofacial injuries and to identify patients who require further intervention.

METHODS

The data from pediatric patients with maxillofacial injury (<18 years) between January 2011 and December 2015 were collected. Demographic characteristics, trauma mechanisms, concomitant injuries, treatments, hospitalization, and follow-up results were recorded.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients (N = 2926) was 5.0 years (2.0-10.0 years), and 63.1% were boys. Falls and motor vehicle accidents were the leading mechanism of injury. The most common injury types were lacerations (49.3%) and fractures (15.5%). One hundred thirty (0.4%) patients had concomitant injuries. Surgical treatment was performed in only 3.4% of the patients, and the mortality rate was 0.6%. Patients with concomitant injuries had more hospitalization rates, surgical treatment, and organ dysfunction. All patients who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation and resulted in mortality were in the concomitant injury group.

CONCLUSIONS

Isolated facial injuries are unlikely to be life-threatening, and basic interventions are sufficient in most of the maxillofacial injuries. The primary issue in maxillofacial injuries is to recognize and manage concomitant injuries that can lead to organ dysfunction and mortality.

Prevalence of Acute Pediatric Burns in a Tertiary Care Hospital

INTRODUCTION

Burn injury is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children worldwide. Mortality is higher in developing countries than in developed ones. Most of them occur in predictable domestic settings and can be prevented. The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of acute pediatric burns in a hospital setting.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the secondary data of burn cases admitted during the years 2016 AD to 2018 AD in a tertiary care hospital after taking ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Committee (IRC No. 016-2019). The sample size was calculated and systematic random sampling was done. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 23. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data.

RESULTS

The prevalence of acute pediatric burns at the hospital was found to be 101 (29.71%) (24.85-34.57 at 95% Confidence Interval). The majority of them were males 54 (53.47%) and toddlers 39 (38.61%). Scalding 54 (53.47%) was the main etiology. Most of the burn injuries occurred inside the house 76 (75.25%) and on November 11 (10.9%). The mortality rate was 11 (10.89%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of acute pediatric burns in a hospital setting was lower than most other countries but mortality was higher. The majority of the burn injuries occurred inside the house. Therefore, special focus should be done on prevention at the household level. Adequate medical services for emergency management of childhood burns should be available in different parts of the country.

Epidemiology of burns in pediatric patients of Beijing City

Background

This study aimed to assess the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric burns in Beijing City.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients (n = 400) admitted to four burn centers in Beijing City between June 2010 and May 2011. Burn severity was determined according to total body surface area (TBSA) percentage and degree. Patients were followed up for one year. Multivariate analyses were carried out to determine the factors (burn etiology, time and place of injury, living conditions, hospital type, first-aid treatment methods, and parent/guardian knowledge of burns, educational level, occupation) affecting burn properties (severity and pigmentation/scar).

Results

191/400 (47.8 %) patients were aged 2-3 years, and scalding was the leading etiology (355/400, 88.8 %). Burn incidence peaked in May (14.8 %), at 10:00-12:00 and 17:00-20:00. Most burn events occurred indoors (272/400, 68.0 %), especially in the kitchen (180/400, 45.0 %). Roughly half of them involved head and neck; 188 (47.0 %) patients had mild burns, 140 (35.0 %) moderate, 44 (11.0 %) extensive, and 28 (7.0 %) critical burns; 184 (46.0 %) patients were treated only with cold-water rinsing or compress; 120 (30.0 %) received no first aid. Only 32 (8.0 %) patients visited a specialized institution. 164 patients underwent surgery. Hospitalization lasted for 14.8 ± 8.1 days. Independent risk factors for burn severity were occurrence month, living conditions, occupation of the mother, and first aid. 288 (72.0 %) patients developed pigmentation and scar within a year while no independent risk factors was observed.

Conclusions

Pediatric burns often occurred indoors, especially in the kitchen, and a substantial proportion receives no first aid.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-016-0686-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Epidemiology and outcome analysis of scalds in children caused by "guo lian kang": an 11-year review in a burn center in China

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of scalds induced by "guo lian kang" (literally "stove connected to bed") in children.

METHODS

The demographic, burn features, outcome, and other information of 0-14-year-old children with "guo lian kang"-induced scalds admitted to the burn treatment center of the 322 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army in Datong from 30 September 2001 to 31 December 2011 were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among the 1993 children clearly documented with scalds due to hot liquid in vessels, 795 (39.89%) had burns due to "guo lian kang." The proportion of the pediatric burns caused by "guo lian kang" was 55.56% in 2002 and 37.30% in 2011, with a decreasing trend. One-year-old children accounted for the highest proportion of children with burns due to "guo lian kang" (male:female=1.54:1). Scalding mostly occurred from October to May; the most common times were around 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 7:00 PM. Most scalds occurred on the upper limbs, 90.22% of which were dermal burns. The median burn area was 11% of the total body surface area. The burn agent was mainly hot water in pots. Scalding mostly occurred when the children accidentally sat on, or fell or stepped into the pot while playing. Among the children with "guo lian kang"-induced scalds, up to 42.26% of the children did not receive any treatment before hospital admission, and 18.86% of the children were admitted to the hospital ≥6h after the occurrence of burns. In addition, 74.97% of the children's families can afford the medical expenses, while 5.28% abandoned treatment because of financial difficulties. There were no significant differences between children with scalds caused by "guo lian kang" and scalds caused due to other reasons considering the age and sex. Compared to scalds due to other reasons, children with "guo lian kang"-induced scalds had greater burn area and depth, shock incidence, surgery rate, blood transfusion rate, length of hospital stay, and hospitalization costs.

CONCLUSION

Preventive measures against burns should be taken from October to May and mainly during cooking time in order to prevent burns in children less than 3 years of age, especially in 1-year-old boys. The most simple and effective preventive measure is to install a barrier between the pot and bed. The incidence of shock in children may be reduced if parents and primary medical staff undergo training to perform first aid for burns and if there are improvements in the referral system after burns.

Characteristics of 985 pediatric burn patients in the south of Liaoning province of China

Accidental injury due to burns is a serious and common, but preventable, occurrence in children. To analyze the characteristics of pediatric burns in the south of Liaoning province of China, a retrospective review was conducted of information, including general characteristics, demographics, etiology of burns, anatomical areas burned, and severity of injuries, obtained from medical records of pediatric burn patients admitted to the Burn Center of Anshan Hospital of the First Hospital of China Medical University from 2002 to 2011. Differences between age-groups and cause and severity of injuries were examined using Cochran-Mantel-Haenzsel (C-M-H) statistic or chi-square (χ(2)) analyses where appropriate. A total of 985 pediatric burn cases were included, with only one death. The maximal burn area recorded was 80% and the maximal third-degree burn area was 45%. The majority of burns (637/985, 64.67%) were moderate second-degree wounds, encompassing 5-14% of the total body surface area. The infant age-group (<3 years old) had the largest representation (622/985, 63.15%), with more males than females affected. Most of the injuries occurred at home in children living in the local region. Scalding accounted for 89.85% (885/985) of all injuries, with a decreasing incidence with age, whereas injuries due to flames and from electrical sources markedly increased with age. Only a minority of guardians (244/985, 24.77%) had burn prevention knowledge, and none of them knew how to provide first-aid treatment for burn injuries. These results indicate that the majority of pediatric burns occur in children less than 3 years of age from scalds received while at home. As a large proportion of these cases occurred in rural areas, programs emphasizing burn prevention and treatment knowledge should therefore be made more available to these families.

Predictors of mortality in childhood burns: an 8-year review

This study aims to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and predictors of mortality from burn injuries in childhood patients admitted to our hospital during an eight-year period. The medical records of acute childhood burn patients were reviewed retrospectively. All variables thought to be associated with mortality were entered in a multiple binary logistic regression model (method = stepwise). The magnitude of risk was measured by the odds ratio, and the 95% confidence interval was estimated. A total of 2269 acute childhood burn patients were admitted during the study period. A total of 86 (3.8%) children died due to burn injuries. Deaths were seen 1.849 times more in males than in females. According to the 1%-10% total body surface area (TBSA) burned group, mortality occurred 121.116 times more in the >41% TBSA burned group. Most burn injuries can be avoided by keeping children away from hazardous and dangerous environments. Also, requiring a multidisciplinary management in these patients, quality of care services given by physicians and nurses certainly will create a positive impact on patients' outcomes.

Early childhood severe scalds in a developing country: A 3-year retrospective study

The burns intensive care unit (BICU) staff observed an increasing number of pediatric scald burn admissions as a result of increase injuries associated with the scald burns. A retrospective study was conducted to identify scalds demographics, etiologies, and mortality risk factors. This descriptive study comprised a total of 166 patients aged 0-5 years, who were admitted to the BICU of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit (RPSBU) through the Accident and Emergency (A and E) Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)from May 1(st) 2009 to April 30(th) 2012. Source of information was the BICU Computerized Database System. Data extracted included demographics as well as treatment methods and outcomes. The study population was 166; 92 (55.4%) males and 74 (44.6%) females. Scalds admissions were 141 (84.9%); 13 (9.2%) of them died, 83 (58.9%) discharged, and 45 (31.9%) transferred-out to another burn ward and pediatric surgery ward in the hospital. Scald patients' demographics included 78 males (55.3%) and 63 females (44.7%); mean age was 2.18 years. Mortality risk factors identified were age <3 years (P = 0.044); scalds from hot water (P = 0.033), total burns surface area >30% (P = 0.017), and multiple body parts affected (P = 0.049). The current study showed age, hot water, and Total Burns Surface Area (TBSA) as risk factors of early childhood scalds. Education on scalds prevention targeting mothers/caregivers is needed to create awareness of the frequency, severity, and danger associated with pediatric scalds.

Epidemiology of operative burns at Kijabe Hospital from 2006 to 2010: pilot study of a web-based tool for creation of the Kenya Burn Repository

INTRODUCTION

In order to implement effective burn prevention strategies, the WHO has called for improved data collection to better characterize burn injuries in low and middle income countries (LMIC). This study was designed to gather information on burn injury in Kenya and to test a model for such data collection.

METHODS

The study was designed as a retrospective case series study utilizing an electronic data collection tool to assess the scope of burn injuries requiring operation at Kijabe Hospital from January 2006 to May 2010. Data were entered into a web-based tool to test its utility as the potential Kenya Burn Repository (KBR).

RESULTS

174 patients were included. The median age was 10 years. There was a male predominance (59% vs. 41%). Findings included that timing of presentation was associated with burn etiology (p=0.009). Length of stay (LOS) was associated with burn etiology (p<0.001). Etiology differed depending on the age group, with scald being most prominent in children (p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Burn injuries in Kenya show similarities with other LMIC in etiology and pediatric predominance. Late presentation for care and prolonged LOS are areas for further investigation. The web-based database is an effective tool for data collection and international collaboration.

Pediatric burns in Khuzestan Province, Iran

BACKGROUND

Burn injuries are the most frequently occurring injuries among pediatric populations worldwide, and they are significant pediatric injuries in Iran.

AIM

This study was conducted to analyze the pattern of pediatric burns in Khuzestan province in the south-west of Iran from April 2006 to March 2007.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The location of the study was Taleghani Hospital, a sole center for burn patients in Khuzestan province. The number of patients with burns admitted to the center in 1 year (from April 2006 to March 2007) was 211. Data were obtained by reviewing the medical records of patients hospitalized at the center.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 85 (40.3%) were female and 126 (59.7%) were male. Of the 85 female patients, 50 were from urban areas and 35 were from rural areas. Of the 126 male patients, 68 (54%) were from urban areas and 58 (46%) were from rural areas. The mean ± SE age of the children ranging between 0 and 11 years was 3.20 ± 0.188. Scalding was the predominant cause of burns and caused 86.7% of the burns. The age of the patients with scald injuries (2.95 ± 2.56 years) was significantly lower than that of patients with flame injuries (4.28 ± 3.3 years) (P=0.007). Correlation analysis showed that younger children and urban residents are more vulnerable to scald injuries. The mean body surface area of burns was 20.5 ± 10.26 cm in all patients.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Scalding was the most common cause of burns. Age <4 years and residency in urban areas were the major factors increasing the risk of burn accidents in children in Khuzestan. An appropriate burn prevention program, with focus on education, is needed to prevent this injury.

Epidemiology of severe burn among children in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to identify the epidemiologic characteristics of childhood burns in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

METHODS

A population-based study was carried out on children aged 0-16 years who were hospitalized due to burns in Newfoundland and Labrador between April 1995 and March 2001. Hospital and mortality data were obtained from the provincial hospital admission database and Mortality System, respectively. The Newfoundland and Labrador population was considered as a whole and as two separate geographic areas.

RESULTS

A total of 157 hospital admissions due to burns were identified during the study period. The rate of burns requiring hospitalization in the province was 22.3 per 100,000 person-years (P-Y). The rates for males and females was 27.7 and 16.6 per 100,000 P-Y, respectively (P=0.006). Infants (0-1 year) had the highest rate of burn (88.8 per 100,000 P-Y) followed by children aged 2-4 years (26.0 per 100,000 P-Y) (P<0.0001). Labrador, a region with high Aboriginal population (51.4 per 100,000 P-Y), had a higher rate of burn compared to Newfoundland (20.3 per 100,000 P-Y) (P<0.0001). Median age of patients with burns was 2 years for the island portion of the province and 9 years in Labrador (P<0.01). Overall, scald burn (52.2%) was the most frequent type of burn followed by flame (32.5%). In the island portion of the province, scald burn was the most common type of burn (56.4%), while in Labrador flame was the most frequent type (66.7%). Overall mortality rate due to burns was 0.9 per 100,000 P-Y.

CONCLUSION

Age (infants) and sex (male) are factors associated with burn in Newfoundland and Labrador. Study results indicate a difference in the epidemiologic pattern of burn between the island portion of the province, Newfoundland, and mainland Labrador. It is recommended that preventive programs be directed towards high risk groups to reduce the incidence of burns.

A study of burn hospitalizations for children younger than 5 years of age: 1983-2008

OBJECTIVE

Burn injury is a leading cause of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for young children. We aimed to use statewide linked health administrative data to evaluate the incidence, temporal trends, and cause of burn injuries for children younger than 5 years hospitalized for burn injuries in Western Australia for the period 1983-2008.

METHODS

Epidemiologic analysis of linked hospital morbidity and death data of children younger than 5 years hospitalized with an index burn injury in Western Australia for the period 1983-2008. Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate temporal trends in hospital admissions and the external cause of the burn injury.

RESULTS

From 1983 to 2008, there were 5398 hospitalizations for an index burn injury and 3 burn-related deaths. Hospital admission rates declined by an average annual rate of 2.3% (incidence rate ratio: 0.977 [95% confidence interval: 0.974-0.981]). More than half of the admissions were for scald burns. Hospitalizations declined for injury caused by scald, flame, contact, and electrical burns; however, the number of hospital admissions increased for chemical burns during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

The burn-injury hospitalizations reported in this study were preventable. Most burns occurred in the home and resulted from exposure to a household hazard. Further effort needs to be devoted to burn prevention and safety strategies, particularly in relation to scalds, to further reduce the incidence of burn injury in young children.

Comparable results of epidemiology of children with burns among different decades in a burn unit in JinZhou, China

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological results of children with burns among different decades from 1970 to 2008.

METHODS

The clinical data of all children with burns younger than 14 years admitted between 1970 and 2008 were compared among different decades using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

RESULTS

Of all patients with burns, children accounted for 28.6%, despite differences in different decades (18.7-31%). In all children with burns, greater than 80% were accounted by children with mild and moderate burns, and by scalds, in which greater than 80% was caused by hot water. The proportion of scald gradually increased from 60% in the 1970s to 88% in 21st century. The increase in the number in the infant group was the direct cause for the decline of the average age of children injured over time. The case fatality rate in all children with burns was 0.7%, despite significant differences in different decades.

CONCLUSION

Current prevention strategies should be aimed at the 'susceptible group', namely infants, scald injuries and hot water scald, in particular, according to the epidemiologic characteristics of this study. Prevention methods from government, mass media and schools to the family is a tremendous need for the further development of prevention of paediatric burns in the future.

Epidemiology of pediatric burns requiring hospitalization in China: a literature review of retrospective studies

OBJECTIVE

This review was an effort to systematically examine the nationwide data available on pediatric burns requiring hospitalization to reveal burn epidemiology and guide future education and prevention.

METHODS

The China Biomedical Disk Database, Chongqing VIP Database, and China Journal Full-Text Database were searched for articles reporting data on children and their burns from January 2000 through December 2005. Studies were included that systematically investigated the epidemiology of pediatric burns requiring hospitalization in China. Twenty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria, all of which were retrospective analyses. For each study included, 2 investigators independently abstracted the data related to the population description by using a standard form and included the percentage of patients with burn injury who were <15 years old; gender and distribution of age; type of residential area; place of injury; distribution of months and time; reasons for burn; anatomical sites of burn; severity of burn; and mortality and cause of death. These data were extracted, and a retrospective statistical description was performed with SPSS11.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL).

RESULTS

Of the pediatric patients studied, the proportion of children with burn injury ranged from 22.50% to 54.66%, and the male/female ratio ranged from 1.25:1 to 4.42:1. The ratio of children aged <or=3 years to those >3 years was 0.19:1 to 4.18:1. The rural/urban ratio was 1.60:1 to 12.94:1. The ratio of those who were burned indoors versus outdoors was 1.62 to 17.00, and there were no effective hints on the distribution of seasons and anatomical sites of burn that could be found. The peak hours of pediatric burn were between 17:00 and 20:00. Most articles reported the sequence of reasons as hot liquid > flame > electricity > chemical, and scalding was, by far, the most predominant reason for burn. The majority of the studies reported the highest proportion involved in moderate burn, and the lowest proportion was for critical burn. The mortality rate ranged from 0.49% to 9.08%, and infection, shock, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome were the most common causes of death.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the national proportion of children, a high proportion of hospitalized patients with burn injury were children; those who were male, aged <or=3 years, and lived most of the time indoors were especially susceptible. Great attention should be paid when hot water is used or during suppertime. This compilation and analysis of hospitalization-based information has proved useful in establishing the rational priorities for prevention; a family-school-factory-government mode of preventive strategy has come into being and was performed effectively.

Paediatric ICU burns in Finland 1994-2004

INTRODUCTION

The paediatric burn population requiring intensive care in Finland has never been examined before. The aim of this study was firstly to determine the aetiology, incidence and prognosis of paediatric burns requiring intensive care in Finland and secondly to compare the possible differences between the two national burn centres.

METHODS

All burn patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed in two national burn centres from an 11-year-period. Patients whose ICU stay was more than 48h, were included.

RESULTS

Forty-five children who were hospitalized in the two burn centres during the study period met the inclusion criteria. They represent 2.4% (45/1898) of all burns victims hospitalized in these burn centres during that time giving an incidence of 0.1/100,000 per year in Finland. The median age was 5 years, every third patient was 0-2 years old and 75.6% were male. Most burns were scalds (42.2%), which caused all burns (100%) in age group 0-2 years. Flame burns were most frequent (83%) in the age group 6-10 years. In the 11-16 years old patients, high voltage/electric burns caused 50% of all burns and flame the other 50%. The overall median TBSA in all burns was 26%. The median (range) hospital stay was 12 days (2-193) (0.88 days/% burned) and the median (range) ICU days was 7 (2-64) (0.29 days/%). Intubation and respirator therapy was needed in 31 (46%) patients. There were no patients who needed haemofiltration or haemodialysis and no mortality. Only six patients (13%) were treated conservatively and 39 (87%) surgically. Dressing changes under general anaesthesia were preferred in Helsinki (37 times) and especially in the paediatric hospital (32 times) compared to Kuopio (7 times). Allografts were used only in Helsinki in 4 patients whereas artificial skin was used only in Kuopio in 15 patients. The overall cost of care was very similar in both centres being 1292-1425 euros per hospital day.

CONCLUSIONS

There were some small differences between the two burn centres in treatment policies. Most patients were male and most common aetiology was scald. The prognosis of these patients was excellent with no mortality.

Ação educativa sobre queimaduras infantis para familiares de crianças hospitalizadas

OBJETIVO: Analisar o potencial informativo de uma ação educativa sobre queimaduras infantis com responsáveis por crianças internadas em ambiente hospitalar. MÉTODOS: Foram aplicados questionários estruturados, antes e imediatamente após a ação educativa, que incluiu intervenções verbais e folheto educativo, em 37 acompanhantes de crianças e adolescentes internados no Setor Público de Pediatria de dois hospitais de uma cidade do interior do Estado de São Paulo. As informações obtidas antes e após a ação educativa foram comparadas, utilizando-se o teste estatístico do quiquadrado e considerando-se significante p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Na comparação pré- e pós-ação educativa, notou-se aumento de 95% para 100% na indicação da residência como local mais propício para ocorrência de queimaduras infantis; de 46% para 78% na indicação da faixa etária mais acometida (zero a três anos); de 76% para 78% no gênero mais acometido (masculino); de 43% para 78% na indicação do principal agente agressor (água quente); de 32% para 78% na região corporal mais atingida (tórax); e de 89% para 97% na possibilidade de prevenção da queimadura infantil. CONCLUSÕES: A ação educativa mostrou bom potencial informativo pela elevação do percentual de respostas corretas em todos os aspectos apresentados, sugerindo sua utilidade no contexto hospitalar e em outros locais, como unidades de atenção primária e secundária à saúde e instituições de educação infantil e superior.

Characteristics of burn patients at a major burn center in Shanghai

In China, burns are becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality with large societal and economic implications. To date, there is little epidemiological data on burns in China to direct prevention efforts. This study describes the characteristics of burn patients admitted to a major burn center in Shanghai using a burn registry developed in Toronto, Canada. A retrospective review of burn patients discharged from the Shanghai's Rui Jin Hospital Burn Unit, between March 1st 2002 and April 30th 2003, was conducted. Of 527 patients discharged, 307 were acute burn patients and 302 (98.4%) had complete data to be included in the study. There were 214 (71%) males and 88 (29%) females with a male to female ratio of 2.4:1. The median age was 30 years, and the median total body surface area burned was 10%. The majority of burns occurred at work (58%), and the most frequent etiology was flames (39%) followed by scalds (31%) and contact with hot objects (15%). Sixteen (5%) patients had inhalation injury and six (2%) patients died. There were 70 (23%) children (0-14 years), 221 (73%) adults (15-59 years) and 11 (4%) seniors (60 years and above). Children had more scald burns (83%) and the majority (83%) occurred at home. Adults had more flame burns (46%) and the majority (79%) were work-related injuries. Seniors had more flame burns (73%) and the majority (55%) occurred in domestic incidents. Seniors had deeper burns (13%, p=0.005), required more escharotomies (55%, p=0.002), required more operations (2, p=0.051) and had higher mortality (36%, p<0.001) than other age groups. These results provide compelling evidence for performing population-based studies to identify risk factors that are susceptible to modification in each age group.