Publication:

The problem of burns

Background Burns due to accidents are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the Indian sub-continent. The causes being preventive, warrant a better understanding of the epidemiology to know the seriousness of the situation, implement better medical care and prevent such accidents. Aim was to study the morbidity and mortality related to percentage of burns.

Methods This is a retrospective observational study where patients admitted with burns 2013 and 2015 were evaluated. Data with respect to sex, age, percentage of burns, air-way burns, mode and cause of burns, cause of death and length of hospitalization were analyzed.

Results 65.3% of the patients were females and 34.7% males, with a male: female ratio of 0.53:1. A total mortality of 43.71% was seen. Maximum patients belonged to age group 21-40 years which also constituted 28.74% (highest) of the above total mortality. More than 50 % mortality was seen in patients with more than 41% burns. Air way burns were present in 41.31% of the cases; of which 85.51% of cases did not survive. Death due to hypovolemic shock (42.47%) was the main cause of death in the initial 4 days of admission; whereas septicemic shock (57.53%) from the 5th day onward.

Conclusions Morbidity and mortality due to burns is still very high in India, especially in young adults of age groups 21- 40 years. A higher case load for females as seen, being nearly double in in relation to males. Better fluid resuscitation regimens with adequate control of infection is the need of the hour to bring down the mortality. Female sex and more than 41% burns predicts higher mortality. Involvement of the respiratory tract, also predicts higher mortality and may be taken as a reliable indicator of the severity of burns. In the present scenario, we should stress more over the prevention of burns, to easily make available affordable and cheap medical care for the patients and to minimize post burn disability as much as possible.