Burn injuries in the Dong Bei area of China: a study of 12,606 cases
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This 10-year study of 12,606 burn patients in China found a low overall mortality rate of 1.24%. Most thermal injuries were from fire flames, with young children and adults most affected.
Area of Science:
- Burn injury epidemiology
- Trauma research
- Public health surveillance
Background:
- Burn injuries represent a significant public health concern globally.
- Understanding demographic and etiological factors is crucial for prevention and treatment strategies.
- Data from Chinese burn units provide valuable insights into regional burn injury patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze burn injury data from nine Chinese hospitals over a decade (1980-1989).
- To investigate patient demographics, burn causes, injury severity, and outcomes.
- To determine the overall mortality rate and factors influencing survival.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 12,606 patient records from nine Chinese burn units.
- Data collected included patient age, burn etiology, percentage of body surface area burned, and survival status.
- Statistical analysis was performed to identify trends and significant findings.
Main Results:
- Children constituted 26.9% of patients, with over half being under 4 years old.
- Young adults (15-44 years) comprised nearly 60% of the patient population.
- Thermal injuries from fire flames (86.9%) were the primary cause, followed by scalds (40.7%).
- Approximately 93% of patients had burns affecting less than 50% of their total body surface area.
- The overall mortality rate was 1.24%.
- The LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of subjects) was estimated at >80% of total body surface area burned for patients under 60.
Conclusions:
- Burn injuries in China during 1980-1989 predominantly affected young children and adults.
- Fire flames were the leading cause of thermal injuries, highlighting the need for fire safety measures.
- The low overall mortality rate suggests effective management of burn injuries in the studied units, though severe burns (>80% TBSA) remained highly lethal.
Abstract:
This survey analyses data from nine Chinese burn units with respect to age, causes, severity of burn injury, and survival or death of patients admitted to hospital during the past 10 years (from January 1980 to December 1989). Of 12,606 burned patients treated, 3391 were children (26.9 per cent) and over half the children (52.3 per cent) were up to 4 years old. Almost 60 per cent of the 12,606 patients treated were in the young adult group (15-44 years), and 86.9 per cent of 12,606 patients sustained thermal injuries mainly from fire flames followed by scald injuries (40.7 per cent). About 93 per cent of the patients had burns covering less than 50 per cent of the body surface area. The overall mortality rate was 1.24 per cent. The LD50 for the 12,112 patients less than 60 years old was a burned surface area exceeding 80 per cent of the total body surface area.