Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics and outcomes of burn patients in Kurdistan Region: a one-decade large retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract

Globally, burns are the most devastating injuries, causing more than 120,000 deaths annually, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics and outcomes of burn patients. This retrospective study was conducted at the Duhok Burn and Plastic Surgery Hospital between 2014 and 2023. The data collected included demographic characteristics of the patients, burn etiology, location of burn, degree of burn, and hospitalization duration. The study included 713 cases, with the majority (41.37%) in the 0-17 age group. Mortality increased with age, and housewives had the highest mortality rate (54.91%). Urban residents had a higher mortality rate (40.81%) than rural residents (28.80%). Winter and spring had higher rates of burn patients (31.84% and 29.17%). Most burns occurred at home (90.88%), with flame (70.97%) and scald (25.11%) as the primary causes. Hospitalizations were mostly 1-14 days (83.73%), and second and third-degree burns were common (47.27% and 50.07%). About 75.74% of patients suffered upper limb injuries. In 2023, there was a slightly higher burn rate (16.27%) compared to previous years.Burns were most frequently suffered by children, particularly during winter and spring at home. The primary causes were flame and scald injuries. Females were more prone to flame injuries, while males experienced a higher incidence of scald injuries. Among the affected groups, housewives had the highest mortality rate, and this elevated risk was linked to their advancing age.