Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
A Swine Burn Model for Investigating the Healing Process in Multiple Depth Burn Wounds
Published on: February 23, 2024
Blood utilization in patients with burn injury and association with clinical outcomes (CME)
Rommel P Lu1, Feng-Chang Lin, Shiara M Ortiz-Pujols
1Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Department of Biostatistics and North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Department of Surgery, North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
Background:
Uncontrolled bleeding is an important cause of increased transfusion in burn victims; however, description of blood utilization patterns in the burn population is lacking.
Study Design And Methods:
We conducted a single-institution, retrospective cohort study to measure blood utilization in 89 consecutive burn patients with 15% to 65% total body surface area (TBSA) burn within 60 days of injury. We also evaluated the relationship of blood product utilization with clinical variables including anticoagulant usage and mortality.
Results:
We determined that: 1) the predictors for increased red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma transfusions were high TBSA burn and the use of argatroban anticoagulation (for suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia [HIT]); 2) TBSA burn and patient age were independent predictors of mortality, but not RBC or plasma transfusion; and 3) the incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolic events is not uncommon (11.2%), although HIT is rare (1.1%).
Conclusion:
Despite concerns about adverse correlation between increased number of transfusions and mortality in other clinical settings, we did not find this association in our study. However, we demonstrated that the type and intensity of anticoagulation carries substantial risk for increased RBC as well as plasma usage.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Burn Injuries
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
01:26Blood Studies I: ABG and VBG
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) studies are crucial for assessing the lungs' ability to supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, reflecting the patient's ventilation status. They also help understand the kidneys' capacity to reabsorb or...
01:26Peripheral Artery Disease IV: Nursing Management
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...