Burns in older people. Epidemiology, surgical management and outcome in a university hospital referral burn unit, 1994–2004

A National Analysis of Discharge Disposition in Older Adults with Burns-Estimating the Likelihood of Independence at Discharge

Whereas older age predicts higher burn mortality, the impact of age on discharge disposition is less well defined in older adults with burns. This investigation assesses the relationship between older age and discharge disposition after burns in a nationally representative sample. We queried the 2007 to 2015 National Trauma Data Bank for non-fatal burn hospitalizations in older adults. Pre-defined age categories were 55 to 64 years (working-age comparison group), 65 to 74 years (young-old), 75 to 84 years (middle-old), and 85+ years (old-old). Covariables included inhalation injury, comorbidities, burn total body surface area, injury mechanism, and race/ethnicity. Discharge to non-independent living (nursing home, rehabilitation, and other facilities) was the primary outcome. Logistic regression assessed the association between older age and discharge to non-independent living. There were 25,840 non-fatal burn hospitalizations in older adults during the study period. Working-age encounters comprised 53% of admissions, young-old accounted for 28%, middle-old comprised 15% and old-old comprised 4%. Discharge to non-independent living increased with burn TBSA and older age in survivors. Starting in young-old, the majority (65 %) of patients with burns ≥20% TBSA were discharged to non-independent living. Adjusted odd ratios for discharge to non-independent living were 2.0 for young-old, 3.3 for middle-old, and 5.6 for old-old patients, when compared with working-age patients (all P < .001). Older age strongly predicts non-independent discharge after acute burn hospitalization. Matrix analysis of discharge disposition indicates a stepwise rise in discharge to non-independent living with higher age and TBSA, providing a realistic discharge framework for treatment decisions and expectations about achieving independent living after burn hospitalization.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of burns in the older person: a seven-year retrospective analysis of 693 cases at a burn center in south-west China

Background

Burns are one of the major traumas that may affect older individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of geriatric burns at a major center in south-west China.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted at the Institute of Burn Research, Southwest Hospital of Army Medical University between 2010 and 2016, and the data collected from medical records included admission date, age, gender, premorbid disease, burn etiology, injured anatomical location, burn area and depth, inhalation injury, number of surgeries, length of stay (LOS), clinical outcome, and medical cost.

Results

Of the 693 older burn patients included, 60.75% were male and 56.85% were aged 60–69 years. Burns peaked in December–March and June. Flame was the most common cause of burns, making up 51.95% of all cases, and also dominated in the burn patients aged 60–69 years. Limbs were the most common anatomical sites of burns (69.41%), and the median total body surface area (TBSA) was 5% (interquartile range [IQR]: 2%–15%). The percentage of the patients who underwent surgeries and number of surgeries significantly increased in the cases of contact burns, younger age and full-thickness burns. Six deaths resulted in a mortality of 0.9%. The median LOS was 16 days (IQR: 8–29 days), and the main risk factors were more surgeries, better outcomes, and full-thickness burns. The median cost was 20,228 CNY (IQR: 10,457– 46,581.5 CNY), and major risk factors included longer LOS, larger TBSA, and more surgeries. Furthermore, compared to the earlier data from our center, the proportion of older adults among all burns (7.50% vs. 4.15%), proportion of flame burns (51.95% vs. 33.90%), and mean age (69.05 years vs. 65.10 years) were significantly higher, while the proportion of premorbidities (16.9% vs. 83.9%), mortality (0.9% vs. 7.5%) and median TBSA (5% vs. 21%) were significantly lower.

Conclusions

This study suggested that closer attention should be paid to prevent burn injuries in older people aged 60–69 years, especially males, regarding incidents in the summer and winter, and flame burns. Moreover, tailored intervention strategies based on related risk factors should be under special consideration.

The year in burns 2012

Approximately 2457 research articles were published with burns in the title, abstract, and/or keyword in 2012. This number continues to rise through the years; this article reviews those selected by the Editor of one of the major journals in the field (Burns) and his colleague that are most likely to have the greatest likelihood of affecting burn care treatment and understanding. As done previously, articles were found and divided into these topic areas: epidemiology of injury and burn prevention, wound and scar characterization, acute care and critical care, inhalation injury, infection, psychological considerations, pain and itching management, rehabilitation, long-term outcomes, and burn reconstruction. Each selected article is mentioned briefly with comment from the authors; readers are referred to the full papers for further details.