Clinical outcomes after burns in elderly patients over 70 years: A 17-year retrospective analysis

In the United Stated population >70years is likely to double by the year 2050. Elderly population (>70years) are most vulnerable to burns and outcomes following such injuries in this special group is poorly studied. This study aimed to look at outcomes following burns in patients >70years over a period of 17 years.

Data on 6512 patients admitted to a Level I Burn Center between 1995 and 2011 was analyzed. Age, gender, ethnicity, TBSA, burn etiology, hospital and burn intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) and status at discharge were abstracted. Three broad categories were created based on presence or absence of smoke inhalation, No smoke inhalation (Group A), smoke inhalation only (Group B) and smoke inhalation with burn injury (Group C). Differences were analyzed using the student's t-test for continuous variables and Chi-Square test for categorical variables.

The study group was comprised of 564 patients, 72.3% in group A, 4.8% in group B and 22.9% in group C formed the study population. The mean age of the patients studied was 80.4±6.7, with female patients being more common (58%). The number of Caucasians (72.9%) was highest in group C compared to other racial groups (p=0.047). Majority of patients in the group B (59.3%) were admitted directly compared to other two groups (group A=24.0%, group B=34.9%, p<0.001). Overall percent total body surface area (% TBSA) and % TBSA third degree burns were higher in group C, whereas % TBSA second degree burns were common in group B (p<0.05). The number ICU admissions, the mean length of ICU stay, mean duration of ventilator support and mean length of hospitalization were all highest in group C patients (p<0.001). The number of discharges to home without home health aide were higher in group A, whereas the number of discharges to nursing home/rehabilitation/extended care facility were higher in group B (p<0.001). The in-hospital mortality (58.1%, p<0.001) and overall burn related mortality (62.8%, p<0.001) were highest in group C. There was no significant difference between the groups for the number of patients converted to hospice care (p=0.21). On multivariate analysis ICU admission (Odds Ratio [OR]=3.7, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]=2.1-6.5), ventilator support (OR=7.1, 95% CI=4.1-12.0), and %TBSA >10% (OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.9-5.0) significantly increased mortality. In terms of complications, group C had a significantly higher incidence of pneumonia (18.6%, p<0.001), respiratory failure (17.1%, p=0.001), and sepsis (7.8%, p=0.003).

Patients >70 years constitute small (8.6%) but significant number among burn patients. The overall ICU admissions, number of days on ventilator, ICU stay, in-hospital mortality and overall mortality is higher in this group of population even for low % TBSA burns. Presence of smoke inhalation increases mortality.