Utility of bioimpedance assay to assess the efficacy of resuscitation and volume changes in burns patients – An institutional observation

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ABSTRACT Introduction: Body volume changes in patients subjected to burns injury are enormously dynamic and its of significant importance for the burns surgeon to predict the outcome of the patient based on extracellular, intracellular, and total body volume. Bioimpedance assay was done to understand the fluid proportion in burns patients, and the clinical progress of the patients was noted. The utility of bioimpedance assay was studied in the burn patient and compared to the clinical outcome in this study. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at the burn unit and plastic surgery department from November 2022 to May 2023. We have included 25 patients who were admitted with 2nd- to 3rd-degree thermal burns sustaining injuries to 5%–50% of total body surface area. They were of different age groups ranging from 6 to81 years. In all these patients, the clinical progress and bioimpedance assay was noted on Days 0, 3, and 6. The clinical outcome was correlated to the phase angle and predictive markers trends in bioimpedance assay. Results: Out of all the 25 patients, phase angle and predictive markers trends were correlating well with the clinical progress or deterioration of the burns patient. Impending sepsis and surgical intervention showed proportionate worsening of phase angle trends and predictive markers. The pediatric age group showed better recovery in bioimpedance assay for fluid changes, surgical stress, and sepsis-related changes in burns. Conclusions: Bio-impedance assay used to assess the fluid volume in burn patients will certainly enhance and guide the burns surgeon for taking proper decisions in patient management.