Ethnicity does not change burn resuscitation and time to first excision

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Critical Care Medicine
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Health and racial disparities impact access to preventative, trauma, and chronic disease care.
• These disparities have not been adequately addressed in the context of burn resuscitation.
• Over- or under-resuscitation in burn injuries increases hospital costs, morbidity, and mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential racial disparities in initial fluid resuscitation following burn injuries.
• To analyze differences in burn care and outcomes between racial groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of burn patients (age > 14) admitted between 2020-2022 to a safety net hospital.
• Exclusion of patients receiving comfort care within 24 hours of admission.
• Data collection included demographics, burn injury details, laboratory parameters, and outcomes (LOS, ventilation, RRT, mortality).

Main Results:

• Study included 105 patients: 59% White, 41% African American-Hispanic (AA-HIS).
• No significant differences found in burn severity, cause, inhalation injury, ICU/hospital length of stay, or mechanical ventilation rates.
• No differences in fluid administration, urine output, laboratory values, or patient outcomes between groups; mortality was not significantly higher in AA-HIS group (32.6% vs 17.7%).

Conclusions:

• This study did not identify racial disparities in initial burn resuscitation or patient outcomes at a safety net hospital.
• Standardized protocols for burn resuscitation are crucial for mitigating potential racial and ethnic disparities in care.
• Further research may be needed to explore disparities in other aspects of burn care.