Delayed death in burns and the allegations of medical negligence

Association of inflammatory biomarkers with overall survival in burn patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The inflammatory response to burn injuries can lead to organ dysfunction that ultimately results in increased mortality and morbidity. This meta-analysis was conducted to determine the efficacy of inflammatory biomarkers, including the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) as predictive tools of mortality among burn patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The biomarker levels of survivors and non-survivors were consolidated according to guidelines for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Three main databases were searched electronically: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, on December 8, 2022. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate and score the methodological quality of the included studies. The standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was utilized.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis, (3636 total burn patients), of whom 2878 survived. We found that deceased burn patients had elevated levels of NLR (SMD = 0.60, 95% CI; 0.19-1.00, P < 0.001), CRP (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI; 0.02-1.58, P = 0.04), and PCT (SMD = 0.85, 95% CI; 0.45-1.24, P < 0.001), compared to survivors. However, we found no association between PLR and mortality among burn patients (SMD = 0.00, 95% CI; -0.14-0.15, P < 0.001). In addition, CRP was significantly higher in non-survivors (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI; 0.02-1.58, P =0.04). Similar results were also found about PCT (SMD = 0.85, 95% CI; 0.45-1.24, P < 0.001). When we analyzed the PCT data, collected in the first 24-48 hours, we found similar results; the PCT level was significantly higher in non-survivors in the immediate postinjury-period (SMD = 0.67, 95% CI; 0.31-1.02, P < 0.001). There was no publication bias among studies on the role of NLR in burn (Egger's test P = 0.91). The based cut-off values for NLR (13), CRP (71), and PCT (1.77) yielded sensitivities of 69.2%, 100%, and 93.33%, and specificities of 76%, 72.22%, and 72.22% respectively.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS

PCT is a marker of sepsis, therefore its elevated level is presumably associated with a higher incidence and severity of sepsis among non-survivors. In addition, NLR and CRP are promising biomarkers for predicting and guiding prevention against burn deaths in clinical settings.

Plasma Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio on the Third Day Postburn is Associated with 90-Day Mortality Among Patients with Burns Over 30% of Total Body Surface Area in Two Chinese Burns Centers

INTRODUCTION

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of NLR to predict 90-day mortality.

METHODS

Data of 577 patients with burns over 30% of total body surface area were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The risk factors for 90-day mortality were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the 3rd day NLR was performed and the optimal cut-off value was calculated. The 90-day mortality rates were compared between high and low NLR groups using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Age, mechanical ventilation, burn index, 3rd day NLR, and 7th day red blood cell and platelet (PLT) counts were found to be independent predictive values for 90-day mortality. In contrast, percentage of total body surface area burned, inhalation injury, 1st day white blood cell and neutrophil counts, the 3rd day lymphocytes and PLT counts, and 7th day hemoglobin level were not independently associated with 90-day mortality. The area under the ROC curve of the 3rd day NLR for severe burn-delayed death prediction was 0.665 (95% confidence interval, 0.591-0.739), and the optimal cut-off value of the 3rd day NLR was 10.50. The 90-day mortality rates differed significantly between the NLR >10.5 group and the NLR ≤ 10.5 group (17.03% vs 5.92%, respectively; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that the 3rd day NLR was associated with an increased risk of death in severely burned patients; thus, it can provide useful information to predict 90-day mortality.

Sepsis and Nosocomial Infections: The Role of Medico-Legal Experts in Italy

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is defined as the presence of a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and it represents a significant burden for the healthcare system. This is particularly true when it is diagnosed in the setting of nosocomial infections, which are usually a matter of concern with regard to medical liability being correlated with increasing economic costs and people's loss of trust in healthcare. Hence, the Italian governance promotes the clinical risk management with the aim of improving the quality and safety of healthcare services. In this context, the role of medico-legal experts working in a hospital setting is fundamental for performing autopsy to diagnose sepsis and link it with possible nosocomial infections. On the other hand, medico-legal experts are party to the clinical risk management assessment, and deal with malpractice cases and therefore contribute to formulating clinical guidelines and procedures for improving patient safety and healthcare providers' work practices. Due to this scenario, the authors here discuss the role of medico-legal experts in Italy, focusing on sepsis and nosocomial infections.

Predictors of mortality in cases of thermal burns admitted to Burn Unit, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo

In cases of death due to burn injury, it may be of great medico-legal importance to determine if the death is caused by fatal burn injury or due to other factors related to treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate early predictors of mortality in patients with thermal burns admitted to Burn Unit, Ain Shams University Hospitals during a period of one year (2011). The study included 152 cases, mortalities represented 20.4% of the included cases (31 cases). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that, total body surface area (TBSA) of the burns and APACHE III score were significant predictors of mortality. This model resulted in accurate classification of 95.9% of the cases. Further multi-centric studies on larger sample sizes are recommended to validate the results of this study. Also, it is important to study the effect of co-morbidities as confounding factors on the prediction of mortality in patients with thermal burns.

Infection in patients with severe burns: causes and prevention thereof

The better understanding of burn pathophysiology has resulted in effective fluid resuscitation in the acute stage, but the morbidity and mortality of burn patients are mostly linked to the burn wound consequences. Once the initial acute phase is over, the burn wound becomes the source of virtually all ill effects, local and systemic. The dysfunction of the immune system, a large cutaneous bacterial load, the possibility of gastrointestinal bacterial translocation, prolonged hospitalization, and invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures all contribute to infectious complications. Wound infection may lead to septicemia that may not only consume additional resources but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality despite the advances in burn care.