An evaluation of pediatric burn patients over a 15-year period

Burn injuries are a huge public health issue for children. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic and etiological features, burn wound infections, and clinical trends of 2346 pediatric burns patients over 15 years in the southeast provinces of Turkey and to establish criteria for a pediatric burn prevention program.

Age, gender, degree of burn, demographics, etiology of burn, burn wound infections, length of hospital stay, total body surface area percentage, and outcome data of 2346 children (1064 males, 1282 females; mean age 4.42±3.56 years; range 2 months to 15 years) who admitted to the Burn Center of Dicle University between January 1994 and December 2008 were recorded.

The male to female ratio was 0.8:1. The highest incidence appeared in the 0-4 years of age group (68.5%). Burn type was scalding burns in 1828 (77.9%), flame burns in 332 (14.2%) and electrical burns in 186 (7.9%). Distribution of the degree of burns was 19 (0.8%) first-degree, 2172 (92.6%) second-degree and 155 (6.6%) third-degree. The mean total body surface area burn was 21.5±12.6%. The mean length of hospitalization was 12.87±10.02 days. The most frequently isolated burn wound infections were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52%, 368), Acinetobacter spp. (12%, 83), and Escherichia coli (9%, 66). 2241 (95.5%) cases were survivors and 105 (4.5%) were non-survivors.

The epidemiological features of pediatric burns in the southeast region of Turkey differ from those of other regions. Burn prevention education should include training in pediatric burn prevention.