Factors associated with mortality and morbidity among pediatrics with burn injuries in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Saudi medical journal 2022-05, Vol.43 (5), p.508-513
• Main Authors: Alnjeidi, Zainab, Alharthy, Nesrin, Alghnam, Suliman, Badri, Motasim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age groups; Burns; Burns and scalds; Children; Clinical outcomes; Complications and side effects; Death; Epidemiology; Infections; Morbidity; Mortality; Original; Patient outcomes; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Respiratory diseases; Risk factors; Sepsis
• ISSN: 0379-5284; 1658-3175
• DOI: 10.15537/smj.2022.43.5.20210923

To describe characteristics, mechanism, and factors associated with morbidity and mortality of pediatrics with burn injuries. This cross-sectional retrospective study examined all pediatrics with burn injuries carried out at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2015-2020. Collected data included demographics, mechanism of burn, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, body region burned, incidence of infection, renal failure, scars, and respiratory events. The study included 370 patients. Approximately 47.0% were aged ≤2 years, and 61.0% were males. The most common burn mechanism was scald burn (54%), 59.2% had a TBSA of 0-10%, and 60.3% had regional burns on the upper limbs. During follow-up, 5 patients died (incidence rate [IR]=1.60/100 patient/years [PYs]). Morbidity events included blood/sepsis infection (IR=2.87/100 PYs), urine infection (IR=8.30/100 PYs), wound infection (IR=21.72/100 PYs), renal failure (IR=0.96/100 PYs), and respiratory infections (IR=1.60/100 PYs). In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, factors independently associated with combined hazard of morbidity and mortality were female gender (hazard ratio [HR]=1.64, 95% confidence intervel [CI]: [1.01-2.67], =0.047), TBSA (HR=3.20, 95% CI: [1.828-5.585],