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Published in: Intensive Care Medicine 12/2005

01-12-2005 | Original

Outcome and changes over time in survival following severe burns from 1985 to 2004

Authors: Nele Brusselaers, Eric A. J. Hoste, Stan Monstrey, Kirsten E. Colpaert, Jan J. De Waele, Koenraad H. Vandewoude, Stijn I. Blot

Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 12/2005

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate outcome in severely burned patients over a 20-year period and to evaluate survival over time.

Design and setting

Historical cohort in a six-bed burn unit of a 1060-bed university hospital.

Patients

1385 patients admitted to the burn unit over a 20-year period.

Measurements and results

Outcome was evaluated in relation to the presence of three major risk factors for death: age 60 years or over, total burned surface area 40% or more, and the presence of inhalation injury. Overall mortality was 7.1%. When zero, one, two, or three risk factors were present, mortality was respectively 0.5%, 9.9%, 48.0%, and 90.5%. Over the study period the average proportional total burned surface area decreased as did mortality. The survival benefit was significant among patient groups with one or two risk factors present. Multivariate regression analysis adjusting for risk factors for death confirmed that survival improved over time (odds ratio 0.73 per 5-year period).

Conclusions

Global mortality following burns is low, and nearly all patients who die had at least one risk factor present. In the presence of three risk factors the prognosis following burns is particularly compromised. Taking into account that our patients over the past 20 years have been progressively less extensively burned and hence have a lesser at risk for death, survival following severe burns has continued to improve.
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Metadata
Title
Outcome and changes over time in survival following severe burns from 1985 to 2004
Authors
Nele Brusselaers
Eric A. J. Hoste
Stan Monstrey
Kirsten E. Colpaert
Jan J. De Waele
Koenraad H. Vandewoude
Stijn I. Blot
Publication date
01-12-2005
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Intensive Care Medicine / Issue 12/2005
Print ISSN: 0342-4642
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1238
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-005-2819-6

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