Clinical characteristics of alcohol-flame burns and correlation with COVID-19 epidemic: A retrospective analysis from a single center

Objective

To analyze the clinical characteristics of alcohol-flame burns and the correlation with COVID-19 epidemic.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 134 patients with alcohol-flame burns who were admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Chengdu City from January 2015 to December 2022. Demographics, time of first hospital visit, burn size, depth and site, month and place of burn, inhalation injury, surgical intervention, length of hospital stay, hospital costs were recorded annually. Data from the COVID-19 epidemic period (2020–2022) were compared to those from the non-epidemic period (2015–2019) for analysis.

Results

The number of patients with alcohol-flame burns showed a consistent annual increase. During the epidemic period, the proportion of alcohol-flame burns among burn patients was significantly higher (2.43% ± 0.16%) than during the non-epidemic period (1.70% ± 0.15%) (P = 0.00). Alcohol-flame burns primarily affected adult men, occurring mainly in massage parlors and homes. The peak incidence was between May and August. Patients sought medical attention promptly, with a median time to first hospital visit of 2 h post-burn. Alcohol-flame burns mostly involved the trunk and upper extremities. Median total burn size was 7% TBSA, median full-thickness burn size was 1% TBSA. Over 20% of patients had combined inhalation injuries, and a similar proportion required surgical intervention. Alcohol burn patients had a median hospital stay of 14 days and incurred median medical costs of ¥16,600($2300). During the epidemic, the basic characteristics of patients with alcohol-flame burns did not change much. However, the time to first hospital visit was significantly shorter (2 h) during the epidemic period than non-epidemic period (3 h). Furthermore, alcohol-flame burn patients during the epidemic exhibited significantly larger total burn sizes, higher burn indices, and longer hospital stays compared to non-epidemic patients. The incidence of combined inhalation injuries was also significantly higher during the epidemic. Surgical requirements and medical costs were not significantly associated with the COVID-19 epidemic.

Conclusion

Alcohol-flame burns exhibit distinct clinical characteristics, including severe injuries, prolonged hospital stays, and elevated costs, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.