Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 1, 2026
Author Spotlight: A Multi-Depth Porcine Model for Comprehensive Study of Burn Injuries and Healing Processes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Long-term Effects of Pediatric Burns on the Circulatory System
Janine M Duke1, Sean M Randall2, Mark W Fear3
1Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; janine.duke@uwa.edu.au.
Insights
Pediatric burn survivors face increased hospitalizations and longer stays for circulatory diseases long after their injury. This highlights the lasting impact of burns on cardiovascular health in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care
- Cardiovascular epidemiology
- Burn injury research
Background:
- Systemic responses to burns, including stress hormones, affect cardiac function for years in children.
- Long-term cardiac effects following pediatric burns remain unclear.
- This study investigates the association between pediatric burn injury and long-term hospital use for circulatory diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if pediatric burn injury is linked to increased long-term hospital use for circulatory diseases.
- To quantify the risk and duration of circulatory disease-related hospitalizations in pediatric burn survivors.
Main Methods:
- A population-based longitudinal study in Western Australia (1980-2012).
- Included children (<15 years) hospitalized for a first burn injury (n=10,436) and a matched non-injured cohort (n=40,819).
- Utilized linked hospital and death data, employing negative binomial and Cox regression for analysis.
Main Results:
- The burn cohort had 33% more hospitalizations for circulatory diseases (IRR 1.33).
- Burn survivors experienced 2.26 times more hospital days for circulatory diseases.
- A 22% higher risk of incident circulatory disease admissions was observed in the burn cohort (HR 1.22).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric burn survivors have significantly elevated hospital admission rates for circulatory system diseases.
- Increased length of hospital stay for circulatory diseases persists long after discharge.
- Burn injuries have a prolonged, negative impact on the cardiovascular health of children.
Background:
The systemic responses to burns (in particular, elevated levels of catecholamines and stress hormones) have been shown to have an impact on cardiac function for at least 3 years in children with burns. However, it is not clear if these changes lead to long-term effects on the heart. The aim of this study was to assess whether pediatric burn injury is associated with increased long-term hospital use for circulatory diseases.
Methods:
A population-based longitudinal study was undertaken using linked hospital and death data from Western Australia for children younger than 15 years when hospitalized for a first burn injury (n = 10 436) in 1980-2012 and a frequency matched noninjury comparison cohort, randomly selected from Western Australia's birth registrations (n = 40 819). Crude admission rates and cumulative length of stay for circulatory diseases were calculated. Negative binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling were used to generate incidence rate ratios and hazard ratios, respectively.
Results:
After adjustment for demographic factors and preexisting health status, the burn cohort had 1.33 (incidence rate ratio) times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.64) as many circulatory system hospitalizations, 2.26 times the number of days in hospital with a diagnosis of a circulatory disease (2.26, 95% CI: 1.06-4.81), and were at a higher risk of incident admissions (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03-1.46), compared with the uninjured cohort.
Conclusions:
Children who sustain burn injury experience elevated hospital admission rates and increased length of hospital stay for diseases of the circulatory system for a prolonged period of time after burn discharge.
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...
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
01:24Blood Pressure Imbalances and Circulatory Shock
Blood Pressure: Hypertension and Hypotension
Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Elevated blood pressure is 120-129/under 80 mm Hg. Hypertension, warranting treatment at 130/80 mm Hg, is often asymptomatic and can lead to severe cardiovascular events, aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, chronic renal disease, or cardiac...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
01:26Peripheral Artery Disease IV: Nursing Management