Demographics and clinical patterns of burns requiring emergency hospitalization at a regional north-eastern us burn center

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background There are known demographic and clinical patterns related to burn injuries and care associated with national and global geography. Still, limited data sources exist to facilitate the study of trends in the regionalization of burn care. Objectives The current study aims to investigate the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients that presented to the Emergency Department (ED) and were subsequently admitted for treatment to the inpatient unit of a regional burn center. Methods This retrospective, single-center study was conducted between 1 February 2018 and 31 July 2019, of ED patients who presented with a burn injury and were subsequently admitted to the hospital. Results We identified 329 patients with burn injuries requiring hospitalization. The median age was 22 years [IQR 2–53], and 195 (59%) subjects were males. Monthly and seasonal variations in admissions were identified. The majority of burns occurred at home (84%) and secondary to a scalding injury (59%). The lower extremity was the most common site of injury (29%). Most subjects received antibiotics (59%) and narcotic analgesia (56%) in the ED. The median hospital length of stay was four days [IQR 2–11]. Many subjects did not require surgical intervention (64%) and did not experience complications (79%). Conclusions In this study, we describe the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients that presented to the ED and were subsequently admitted to a regional burn center. Analyzing the epidemiological information and clinical management of burns may better prepare healthcare providers to offer care to patients with burn injuries.