New multifactorial burn resuscitation formula offers superior predictive reliability in comparison to established algorithms

Regional Burn Review: Neither Parkland Nor Brooke Formulas Reach 85% Accuracy Mark for Burn Resuscitation

Prolonged resuscitation can result in burn wound conversion and other complications. Our team switched from using Parkland formula (PF) to the modified Brooke formula (BF) in January 2020. Secondary to difficult resuscitations using BF, we sought to review our data to identify factors associated with resuscitation requiring greater than predicted resuscitation with either formula, defined as 25% or more of predicted, hereafter referred to as over-resuscitation. Patients admitted to the burn unit between January 1, 2019 and August 29, 2021 for a burn injury with a percentage of total body surface area (%TBSA) ≥15% were included. Subjects <18 years, or weighing <30 kg, and those who died or had care withdrawn within 24 hours of admission were excluded. Demographics, injury information, and resuscitation information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with over-resuscitation by either formula. P < .05 was considered significant. Sixty-four patients were included; 27 were resuscitated using BF and 37 using PF. No significant differences were observed in demographics and burn injury between the groups. Patients required a median of 3.59 ml/kg/%TBSA for BF and 3.99 ml/kg/%TBSA for PF to reach maintenance (P = .32). Over-resuscitation was more likely to occur when using BF compared to PF (59.3% vs 32.4%, P = .043). Over-resuscitation was associated with longer time to reach maintenance (OR = 1.179 [1.042-1.333], P = .009) and arrival via ground transportation (OR = 10.523 [1.171-94.597], P = .036). Future studies are warranted to identify populations in which BF under-performs and sequelae associated with prolonged resuscitation.

A new resuscitation formula based on burn index provides more reliable prediction for fluid requirement in adult major burn patients

BACKGROUND

The Third Military Medical University (TMMU) formula is widely utilized in the fluid resuscitation in China. However, the actual volume needs usually exceed the prediction provided by the TMMU formula in major burn patients with a high proportion of full-thickness burn wounds.

METHOD

This retrospective study included 149 adult major burn patients (≥40% TBSA) who were admitted to the Burn Department, Southwest Hospital from 2014 to 2020 and received appropriate fluid resuscitation by the TMMU protocol. The actual volume infused in the first 48 hours post-burn was compared to the estimation by the TMMU formula. A new fluid volume prediction formula was developed by multivariate linear regression analysis.

RESULT

The mean fluid requirements were 2.35 ml/kg/%TBSA and 1.75 ml/kg/%TBSA in the 1 st and 2 nd 24 hours post-burn, respectively. The TMMU formula underestimated the fluid requirement, and its prediction accuracy was 54.1% and 25.8% for the 1 st and 2 nd 24 hours, respectively. The proportion of full-thickness burn wound was found to be associated with the fluid requirements after burn. A revised multifactorial formula consisting of the burn index, body weight and inhalation injury was developed. Using the revised formula, the prediction reliability of resuscitation fluid volume improved to 65.3% and 61.1% in the 1st and 2nd 24 hours, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The TMMU formula showed low accuracy in predicting fluid requirements among major burn patients. A revised formula based on burn index was developed to provide better guidance for initiative fluid resuscitation for major burns by the TMMU protocol.

Nurses Can Resuscitate

Fluid resuscitation in the first 48 hours postburn is crucial in the management of burn shock. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate nurses' adherence to a nurse-driven fluid resuscitation protocol at one adult burn center. Their secondary goal was to establish that the use of a nursing-driven protocol did not result in over resuscitation. Following implementation of a nurse-driven burn resuscitation protocol, a 48-hour data resuscitation data collection tool was developed by the burn physicians and nurses. All resuscitations were reviewed in real-time and in burn leadership meeting to identify opportunities for improvement. Follow-up with nursing staff was done in real time by the clinical nurse specialist following each burn resuscitation. Twenty-two patients requiring formal fluid resuscitation were included in the review. Patients had a median age of 36.5(IQR: 38.74) years and were predominantly male. They found that in the first 24 hours that patients received 3.47 ml/kg/hr and then in the next 24 hours they received an average of 2.68 ml/kg/hr. All 22 patients' resuscitation was initiated using the Parkland formula in the emergency department, and nurses were successful in consistently adjusting fluid infusions consistent with the protocol. Using a multidisciplinary approach and preparatory and real-time education processes, burn nurses can successfully guide burn resuscitation. Providing education and follow-up in real time can improve the process.

Hypertonic saline resuscitation protects against kidney injury induced by severe burns in rats

BACKGROUND

Proper fluid resuscitation can relieve visceral damage and improve survival in severely burned patients. This study compared the effectiveness of resuscitation with 400mEq/L hypertonic saline (HS) and sodium lactate Ringer's solution (LR) in rats with kidney injury caused by burn trauma.

METHODS

Rats (Sprague-Dawley) underwent burn injury and were randomized into sham, LR, and HS groups. Samples from the kidney were assayed for water content ratio, histopathology, and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)). Serum sodium, renal function (creatinine and cystatin (Cys)-C), and inflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and high mobility group protein box (HMGB)-1) were also examined as serum markers.

RESULTS

Hypertonic saline resuscitation reduced the renal water content ratio and improved renal histopathology caused by severe burns. This effect was accompanied by reductions in serum creatinine and Cys-C as well as TNF-α, IL-1β, and HMGB1. Serum sodium concentration and SOD activity were increased, whereas MDA content was decreased in the kidney tissue of the HS group.

CONCLUSIONS

The data indicate that 400mEq/L HS solution reduces hyponatremia and renal edema, inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators, and alleviates oxidative stress injury, thus protecting against kidney injury induced by severe burns.

Comparison of three techniques for calculation of the Parkland formula to aid fluid resuscitation in paediatric burns

CONTEXT

Inadequate fluid resuscitation of acute burns may result in hypovolaemic shock. Excessive fluid resuscitation may result in fluid overload. A nomogram which uses the popular Parkland formula and '4-2-1' regime has been recently described to facilitate the calculation of fluid requirements in children during the first 24 h following burn injury.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the accuracy and speed of calculation of three different methods (pen and paper, electronic calculator and nomogram), which all use the Parkland formula and '4-2-1' regime to calculate maintenance and resuscitation fluid requirements for children in the first 24 h after burn injury.

DESIGN

A randomised volunteer study using computer-generated simulated patient data.

SETTING

Welsh Centre for Burns, ABM University Local Health Board, Swansea, UK. Data were collected between February 2011 and October 2011.

PARTICIPANTS

The group consisted of 36 volunteers including trainee and consultant surgeons and anaesthetists.

INTERVENTION

Thirty-six participants performed 318 calculations, using each of the three methods of calculation up to three times.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Accuracy, speed and acceptability of the different methods.

RESULTS

For nomogram, calculator and pen and paper: magnitude of error [low (≥25%), medium (≥50%) and high (≥75%)]: [5.7, 4.7 and 3.8%], [12.1, 12.1 and 7.5%], [28.6, 21.9 and 16.2%]; [P <0.001, P = 0.001 and P = 0.006]. Calculation time: [s; mean (SD)]: 121 (48), 109 (52) and 240 (140); P <0.001. The mean (SD) of the difficulty scores were 17.3 (13), 20.6 (13.4) and 62.2 (23.4); P <0.001.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram was the most accurate method of calculating fluid requirements using the Parkland formula, was only slightly slower than the electronic calculator and was deemed the easiest to use. The nomogram is also low cost, robust, and provides a rapid means of detecting and preventing the large errors that we have shown can occur when an electronic device is used as the primary method of resuscitation fluid calculation. We, therefore, suggest that the nomogram is a suitable method for the calculation of the Parkland formula to guide resuscitation and maintenance fluid requirements in the first 24 h of paediatric burns or for cross-checking the results obtained by other means of calculation.

Effect of 200 mEq/L Na+ hypertonic saline resuscitation on systemic inflammatory response and oxidative stress in severely burned rats

BACKGROUND

Excessive release of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress play important roles in the increased vascular permeability and systemic edema during the early stage of severe burn. This study investigates the effect of 200 mEq/L Na(+) hypertonic saline (HS) on systemic inflammatory response and oxidative stress in severely burned rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham group, burn plus lactated Ringer's group, and burn plus HS group. Lung edema was assessed in terms of wet-weight-to-dry-weight ratio. Tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 concentrations in serum were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and the expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was determined by Western blot analysis. The lung and intestinal concentrations of malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative stress, were also measured.

RESULTS

Resuscitation with 200 mEq/L Na(+) HS significantly decreased the lung wet-weight-to-dry-weight ratio and abolished hyponatremia induced by burn injury. HS treatment also prevented the increases of myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde content in the lung and intestine of severely burned rats. However, there were no significant differences, either in serum tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 concentrations or with respect to the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, between the burn plus lactated Ringer's group and burn plus HS group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Initial resuscitation with 200 mEq/L Na(+) HS after severe burn injury decreases pulmonary edema, prevents hyponatremia, and attenuates oxidative stress, but is not capable of inhibiting the systemic inflammatory response.

Incidence and treatment of burns: a twenty-year experience from a single center in Germany

OBJECTIVE

To analyze trends in incidence and treatment of thermal injuries over the last two decades.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed our local single center database of patients with thermal injuries admitted to the burn intensive care unit (BICU) of the Cologne-Merheim Medical Center (University Hospital of Witten/Herdecke). The cohort was divided into two groups according to the decade of admission and the epidemiology and clinical course of the patient sample admitted during the period 1991-2000 (n=911) was compared to that of 2001-2010 (n=695).

RESULTS

The following variables were significantly different in the bivariate analysis: mean age (39.8 years vs. 44.0 years), burn size of total body surface area (23.2% vs. 18.0%) and size of 3rd degree burns (9.6% vs. 14.9%). The incidence of inhalation injury was significantly lower in the last decade (33.3% vs. 13.7%) and was associated with a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (10.8 days vs. 8.5 days). The ABSI-score as an indicator of burn severity declined in the second period (6.3 vs. 6.0) contributing partially to the decline of BICU length of stay (19.1 days vs. 18.8 days) and to the mortality rate decrease (18.6% vs. 15.0%).

CONCLUSION

The severity of burn injuries during the last two decades declined, probably reflecting the success of prevention campaigns. Concerning mortality, the chance of dying for a given severity of injury has decreased.

Burn injuries at a university hospital in Saudi Arabia: an audit and concept of total quality management, 1997-2003

This is the first time the concept of total quality management in burn injuries is proposed. This is a prospective study done in 1997-2003. All burn admissions to King Fahd Hospital of the University, Division of Plastic Surgery, were included. Total number of cases is 240. Male patients constituted 141 (59.2%); female patients, 97 (40.8%), and 2 cases were not specified in forms. There were 114 children (0-18 years, 50.2%) and 113 adults (19-99 years, 49.8%). The source of admission was mainly emergency room (197, 82%) followed by outpatient department (27, 11.3%), and other hospitals in 16 (6.7%). The type of burn was mainly scald (16.3%), then flame (6.98%), electrical (6.5%), chemical (2.8%), friction (0.47%), and not specified in 33% of recorded cases. The most encountered body percentage burn was 1% to 10% and 11% to 20% in 36.7% and 25.9% of cases, respectively. Sixty-six cases (28.2%) were operated on. The reason for nonoperation was not indicated in 78.5% and refusal in 1.8%. The most frequent operation was split-thickness skin grafting followed by tangential excision + split-thickness skin grafting. Operations took mostly about 2 hours (53.8%). The region operated on was mainly upper limbs (42.6%), then head and neck (27.7%). The affected body part in electrical burns was upper limb, then the head. Preoperative photography was done in 17% and post operatively in 9.4% of recorded cases. Consultations were needed in 39.4% and responded to in 48 hours in 98.2% of them. Discharge was home in 80.9%, against medical advice in 7.5%, died in 7%, transferred in 4%, and other ward in 0.5%. No significant difference was observed between pediatric age groups and adults (>18 years old), also for electrical versus nonelectrical burns in relation to total hospital stay. Similar observations were made among various age groups with respect to total hospital stay. The clinicopathologic typing relation to age groups, nationality, and sex was found significant. Recommendations and the newly proposed zone of practice and concept of total quality management in burn injuries are included.

Local and systemic treatments for acute edema after burn injury: a systematic review of the literature

Burn injury is a complex trauma that results in local and generalized edema. Edema fluid limits the exchange of vital nutrients in healing the burn wound and will compromise vulnerable tissues. Although the importance of edema control in tissue salvage is recognized, treatments targeted at edema control have not been critically reviewed. Thus, the objective was to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of local and systemic treatments for edema management immediately after burn injury. Searches for randomized controlled trials were conducted of online databases, research and thesis registers, and grey literature repositories. Handsearches included journals, bibliographies, and proceedings. Authors were contacted to clarify and submit extra study details. Eight studies were included. Management of acute major burn resuscitation including colloid increases lung edema (mean difference [MD], 0.04 ml/ml alv vol; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.04; P < .00001) and mortality (risk ratio, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.16-11.58; P = .03). Continuous administration of vitamin C in acute burn resuscitation reduces local wound edema (MD, -3.50 ml/g; 95% CI, -4.63 to -2.37; P < .00001) and systemic fluid retention (MD, -8.60 kg; 95% CI, -13.47 to -3.73; P = .0005). Local acute hand burn edema is reduced (MD, -29.00 ml; 95% CI, -53.14 to -4.86; P = .02), and active hand motion increased (MD, 10.00°; 95% CI, 4.58-15.42; P = .0003), using electrical stimulation with usual physiotherapy. Each review outcome was based on a small single-facility study. Thus, future research in intervention for acute burn edema must focus on multicentre trials and validation of outcome measures in the burn population.

Severe burn injuries: acute and long-term treatment

BACKGROUND

The physician that initially sees a patient with an extensive and deep dermal burn injury must be able to provide initial acute treatment and to make a well-founded decision whether to have the patient transported to a burn care center (BCC). Physicians from a variety of specialities will be involved in the management of long-term sequelae.

METHODS

This article provides an overview of the treatment of severe burns and their commonest complications. Special attention is paid to initial emergency treatment (first aid) and to late complications, because physicians from multiple specialties are often involved in these phases of treatment. The data and guidelines that are summarized here were obtained through a selective Medline search and supplemented by the authors' experience in their own burn care center.

RESULTS

Analgesia, careful fluid balance, and early intubation are important elements of the initial emergency treatment. Long-term complications of burns, such as disfiguring scars on exposed areas of skin and functionally significant contractures, often require surgical treatment. Early measures for scar care may improve the outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The effective treatment of severe burns is interdisciplinary, involving general practitioners and emergency physicians as well as plastic surgeons and physicians of other specialties. Knowledge of the basic principles of treatment enables physicians to care for patients with burns appropriately both in the acute setting and in the long term.