Study of the Relationship Between Patient Demographics, Burn Etiology, and the Incidence of Burn Wound Infection in Tanta University Burn Unit.

Abstract

Burns are a worldwide major cause of injury. Burns result in damage to the skin and other organs, leading to open wounds, severe emotional and psychological complications, disability, and economic burden. In this article, we report our study of the relationship between patient demographics, burn etiology, and the incidence of burn wound infection. This study was conducted on 110 cases who presented with acute burns at the Burn Unit of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at Tanta University Hospital, Egypt, in the period from January 2019 to January 2021. A prospective study was conducted, and the collected data were statistically analyzed regarding the different relationships between patient demographics, burn etiology, and the incidence of burn wound infection. In our study, most indoor burn injuries were scalds, most of which were accidental, while outdoor burns were mostly flame burns. Most burns in the 0-10 years age group were scalds, while in the other age groups, burns were mostly of the flame type. Females had significantly more frequent scald burns. The most important statistically significant prognostic risk factors for burn wound infection are TBSA of burn, depth of burn wound, and length of hospital stay.