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Epidemiology of pediatric burn injuries in Istanbul, Turkey
Hakan Arslan1, Baran Kul, Handan Derebaşınlıoğlu
1Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey. hakanarsln@yahoo.com.tr
Insights
Accidental pediatric burns are preventable. Scalding is the leading cause of burns in children, but flame and electrical injuries have higher mortality rates, necessitating targeted prevention programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Burn Injury Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric burns are a significant public health concern, often resulting from preventable accidents.
- Understanding the epidemiology of pediatric burns is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the demographic characteristics, causes, and outcomes of pediatric burns in Istanbul, Turkey.
- To identify factors influencing mortality and hospitalization duration in pediatric burn patients.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 375 hospitalized pediatric patients (aged 16 or younger) admitted between 2005 and 2009.
- Data collected included patient demographics, burn mechanism, total body surface area (TBSA), treatment, hospital stay duration, and mortality rates.
Main Results:
- Scalding was the most common burn mechanism across all pediatric age groups.
- Electrical and flame burns were associated with significantly higher mortality rates (10% and 13.9%, respectively) compared to scalding (3.1%).
- Infants and toddlers had shorter hospital stays, but TBSA did not differ significantly by age group.
Conclusions:
- Scalding is the primary cause of pediatric burns, while flame injuries present the highest mortality risk.
- Implementing targeted preventive measures, particularly addressing parental habits, is essential to reduce pediatric burn incidence in Turkey.
Background:
Many burns that occur in the first two decades of life are accidental and preventable. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic features, mortality, and other factors associated with pediatric burns in Istanbul, Turkey.
Methods:
Our retrospective study included 375 hospitalized pediatric patients (225 male, 150 female; mean age 4.07±3.79; range 0.2 to 16 years) aged 16 years or less admitted between January 2005 and January 2009. Each child's medical record was reviewed and demographic features, mechanism of burn, place of residence, total body surface area (TBSA), surgical treatment, duration of hospital stay and mortality rates were analyzed.
Results:
Scalding was the predominant cause among all pediatric age groups. There were no differences between the age groups with respect to mean TBSA. Length of hospital stay in infants and toddler age group was significantly lower than in other age groups (p<0.005). Sixteen (4.3%) patients died during the study period. Mortality rates associated with scalding, flame and electrical burns were 3.1%, 13.9% and 10%, respectively. Electrical burns and flame resulted in significantly higher mortality rates than scalding (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
Scalding was found to be the most important cause of burns and flame-related mechanisms resulted in the highest mortality rate among children. Only a specific preventive program for changing the traditional habits of Turkish parents would reduce burn injuries among children.
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