Mortality and morbidity among elderly people with burns--evaluation of data on admission

People aged >or=65 years represent a growing population within burns units in the Western world. In 2001, this group was reported to rise to 20% of such admissions. We reviewed the records of 265 burn cases with complete admission and discharge histories, from January 1990 to December 2003 in an A-level regional burns centre. The predictive value of age, gender, total body surface area burned (TBSA), inhalation trauma (IT), premorbid conditions and currently used burn scores (Baux, ABSI, Ryan) for haemodynamic or respiratory complications, mortality and morbidity were analysed. Additionally a subset of patients with diabetes mellitus and >30% total body surface area burned were reviewed. About 16% of all admissions with burns were >or=65 years of age, with a mortality rate of 30.6% (81/265). Only gender and premorbid conditions did not influence mortality. Haemodynamic and respiratory complications were significantly related to TBSA, presence of I and any of the three scores (all p<0.001). Among survivors (184/265), the median duration of hospital stay was 26.0 days. Factors contributing to a significantly increased length of stay were, in decreasing order, total body surface area burned, high levels of burn scores, inhalation trauma, flame injury and certain premorbid conditions (cardiovascular disease, alcoholism). About 77.7% of all patients were discharged either to a rehabilitation centre or back to their previous form of housing. This study showed that among burned people aged >or=65 years a good outcome as evaluated on discharge can be achieved. Studies pooling different centres' results are needed to improve the significance of conclusions drawn from these data.