78 A Retrospective Review of Contact Burns Occurring over the Past Five Years and the Impact of Daily High Temperatures

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Thermal burns as a result of contact with a hot surface are a frequent cause of injury. A unique subset of contact burns are those sustained as a result of exposure to a hot surface during summer days in geographic areas with excessive ambient temperatures. Under these conditions, external surface temperatures can reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and deep cutaneous burns can happen with only a brief contact. Often exposure occurs in patients with impairments that prevent them from removing themselves from such contact in an expeditious fashion leading to severe injury. The purpose of this study was to review and analyze patients admitted to a southwest burn center with burns caused by contact with a hot external surface during the summertime months. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to our regional burn center over a 6-year period, whose burns were sustained from contact with the ground during the months of June, July, and August. Patients were stratified into two groups those whose injuries occurred from 2015 – 2019 and those that occurred in 2020. Climate data was collected from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. Results The mean high daily temperature for June, July, and August 2020 was 108.5oF compared to 106.3oF for June, July and August of the preceding five years 2015 to 2019 (p < 0.0001) The number of days during this 3-month period with high temperatures exceeding 110oF was 48 for 2020 compared to a mean of 24 for years 2015 to 2019 (p < 0.0001). Correspondingly, there were 104 inpatient admissions for contact burns during this 3-month period in 2020 compared to a mean of 70 patients each year for 2015 to 2019, a 49% increase. There was no difference in age, gender, % TBSA burned, length of stay, or comorbidities in the two groups of patients. There were differences noted in the ethnicity compositions between the two groups. While alcohol use was not different between the two groups, the admission blood alcohol level was significantly greater in the 2020 group versus the 2015–2019 group (p=.0477). Additionally, the 2020 group demonstrated significantly greater illicit drug use than the 2015 to 2019 group (p.0098). Conclusions This study shows that increasing summertime temperatures in the southwest USA results in a corresponding increase in the number of patients with hot surface contact burns, and this increase is also associated with significantly great drug and alcohol abuse.