A five-year prospective study of the Aetiology, Pattern of Presentation, and Management of patients with burns in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Burns constitute a significant public health problem worldwide, with most reported mortalities occurring in low and medium-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, this study aimed to generate epidemiological data on the aetiologies, patterns of presentations, and outcomes of burn injuries in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State. Methodology: This was a five-year prospective study of all patients with burns managed at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital. The required information was entered into a hospital-based burn data collection form from admission to discharge. The data generated were exported to IBM SPSS version 23 for analysis. Results: A total of 160 patients were included in this study. The median age was 10.5 years (IQR 2 – 33). Half of the patients were aged <10 years old. About 66.9% of the injuries occurred indoors, with the kitchen being the most common injury site (49.4%). Scald was the most common aetiology, and most injuries occurred in the morning. While 71.9% had first aid at the injury site, the first aid agents used were potentially harmful in most cases. The injuries were predominantly partial-thickness with a mean TBSA burn of 14% and a median ABSI of 4 (IQR 3 – 5). The lower limbs were the most frequently affected body regions, with an overall mortality rate of 5%. Conclusion: Scalds are the most common aetiology of burns in Ado Ekiti, with most injuries occurring in the kitchen. The populace needs to be adequately educated on the suitable materials to provide first aid to burn victims