Epidemiology and outcome of 2,590 burned patients in Northwest Iran

Burns are calamities with considerable morbidity and mortality rates. We attempted to examine the epidemiology of burns in Zanjan city, in northwest Iran, by a systematic study of existing information. The medical files of 2,590 thermal burn patients treated in our hospital in Zanjan city, Iran, from December 2010 to November 2016 were studied. Patient information, including age, sex, burn degree, season, cause of burn, hospital stay and treatment results were analyzed. About 65% of the patients were male (n=1691). Most burns (92.8%) were less than 30% total body surface area. Mean age and hospital stay were 25.4 years old and 9.1 days, respectively. The most common causes of burn were hot liquids, gas explosion and fire, respectively. Except for self-immolation, which was more common among men, there was no significant relationship between cause of burn and the studied variables. The six-year mortality rate was 2.9%, and was more common in the years 2011 to 2013. In addition, distribution of causes of burn had a significant trend (variation). Fire burn had a decreasing trend and gas and chemical burn had increasing trends in this period. In northwest Iran the causes of burn changed over the six years. Chemical burns, gas explosion burns and burn mortality increased. Some of these results were due to economic and pharmaceutical sanctions in Iran. Because of Iran's industrial development, it is recommended that preventive measures for chemical, gas and electrical burns be conducted.