Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with extremely severe burns: a retrospective study of 101 cases.

Background: Burn injuries represent a critical global public health issue, significantly threatening human life and well-being, particularly among children. This study aims to systematically summarize the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with extremely severe burns in northern China.

Methods: This study retrospectively collected clinical data from 101 pediatric patients with extremely severe burns treated at Beijing Children's Hospital between 2013 and 2023. The data collected included gender, age, cause of injury, location of the incident, length of stay (LOS), total burn surface area (TBSA) and mortality.

Results: A total of 101 pediatric patients with extremely severe burns (51.49% male) were included in this study, representing 5.7% of all burn-related hospitalizations at our hospital over an 11-year period. The annual number of admissions for extremely severe burns exhibited an overall declining trend. The highest proportion of cases occurred in children aged 1 to 3 years (61.4%). Two causes of injury were identified, with scalds constituting the majority (81.2%). Notably, flame burns (18.8%) were associated with a high wound infection rate (89.5%), and wound infection emerged as a significant factor influencing the LOS. More than half of the patients presented with extensive burns to the head and neck regions. Additionally, there were 8 fatalities among the 101 patients.

Conclusions: In Northern China, scalding is the predominant cause of extremely severe burns in children. Children aged 1 to 3 years should be the primary target group for prevention efforts. It is essential to enhance safety education at both family and society levels.