Clinical Profile of Pediatric Burn Patients in Burn Care Unit of Halibet Hospital in 2018: Asmara, Eritrea

Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of pediatric burn care

The COVID-19 pandemic had widespread effects on the healthcare system due to public health regulations and restrictions. The following study shares trends observed during these extraordinary circumstances to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of pediatric burn care at an American-Burn-Association verified tertiary pediatric hospital in Ontario, Canada. Pediatric burn patient data for new burn patients between March 17th, 2019, and March 17th, 2021, was retrospectively extracted and two cohorts of patients were formed: pre-pandemic and pandemic, through which statistical analysis was performed. No significant changes in the number of admitted patients, age, and sex of patients were observed. However, a significant increase in fire/flame burns was observed during the pandemic period. Additionally, a decrease in follow-up care was observed while an increase in acute burn care (wound care and surgical interventions) was found for the pandemic cohort. Despite changes to hospital care facilities to maximize resources for COVID-19-related care, our findings demonstrate that burn care remained an essential service and significant reductions in patient volumes were not observed. Overall, this study will aid in future planning and management for the provision of pediatric burn resources during similar public health emergencies.

Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Pediatric Burns in the COVID-19 Era: The Experience of a Reference Center

Pediatric burns represent a significant public health problem. We analyzed the characteristics of pediatric burns in a reference center, in order to identify better strategies for prevention and care. Burn patients admitted to the pediatric departments of our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Age, gender, the etiology of injuries, the total burn surface area (TBSA), the degree of burns, the length of hospital stay (LOS), concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection, and burn surface microbial colonization were analyzed. Forty-seven patients were included in the analysis (M:F = 1:0.67). Most of the cases involved patients between 0 and 4 years of age (83%). Hot liquid burns accounted for 79% of cases, flame burns for 9%, thermal burns for 6%, scald burns for 4% and chemical burns for 2%. Mean TBSA was 14 ± 11%. A second-degree lesion was detected in 79% of patients and third-degree in 21%. Mean LOS was 17 days. No additional infection risks or major sequelae were reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fifteen different species of bacteria plus C. parapsilosis were isolated, while no anaerobic microorganisms were detected. In the light of our experience, we recommend a carefully planned and proactive management strategy, always multidisciplinary, to ensure the best care for the burned child.

Clinical Profiles and the Outcomes of Burn Patients Admitted to the Burn Unit of Jimma Medical Center

Background

Burn is a serious public health problem and a leading cause of disability and disfigurement. However, there was no published study from our Hospital Burn Unit that assessed the clinical profiles and the outcomes of burn patients.

Objective

This study was aimed to assess the clinical profiles and the outcomes of patients admitted with burn injuries.

Methods

Hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Burn Unit of JMC. Systematic random sampling was used to include the burn patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ²), and student-t-test were performed to describe and assess the relationships between the variables. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the factors affecting the length of hospital stays.

Results

One hundred twenty-four burn patients (51.6% female) were included. The majority (79.84%) of the patients were in the age category of less than 29 years. Scalds (47.6%) were the most common cause of burns with three times in females. The extremities (93.5%) were the most frequently affected areas. Patients with second-degree superficial burns accounted for 61.3% of all patients. In 95.88% of the patients, the total body surface area burn (TBSA) was below 20%. Lactated ringers (69.4%) and tramadol (71.0%) were the most frequently used IV fluid for resuscitation and analgesic agent for pain, respectively. Patients who undergo any of the surgical procedures stayed in the hospital for greater than 30 days more than 4 times likely (OR = 4.8, 95% CI 2.08–11.2, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Scalds are the most common cause of burn injury, particularly in patients aged less than 14 years. Educating the community about the risk groups, household safety precautions, and early seeking medical care may reduce the incidence and morbidity of burn injuries.