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Obesity's Impact on Pediatric Scald Burns: How Much Weight Does It Carry?

Christian Hudson-Bradford1,2, Rachael M Galvin1,2, Elika Ridelman1,2

  • 1Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, United States.

Journal of Burn Care & Research : Official Publication of the American Burn Association
|April 18, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity in pediatric burn patients does not significantly affect wound healing time. However, higher body mass index (BMI) may influence surgical grafting decisions in older children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Burn Care
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue.
  • The impact of obesity on pediatric burn wound healing and surgical outcomes is not well understood.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing treatment for pediatric burn patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between obesity and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with scald burns.
  • To determine if obesity affects wound healing time, scar management, or the need for grafting.
  • To identify potential influences of obesity on surgical decisions in pediatric burn care.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 389 pediatric patients (1 month to 18 years) with ≥5% TBSA scald burns (2015-2024).
  • Patients categorized by weight-for-length (WFL) or body mass index (BMI) percentiles using CDC/WHO growth charts.
  • Statistical analyses included ANOVA and chi-square tests to compare outcomes across BMI/WFL groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in wound healing time were found across BMI or WFL categories.
  • Obesity (BMI/WFL) showed no significant association with scar management or late grafting.
  • A moderate relationship (p=0.020) was observed between higher BMI and grafting during index admissions in older children.

Conclusions:

  • Obesity does not appear to significantly impair wound healing in pediatric burn patients.
  • Higher BMI may influence surgical decisions, specifically regarding grafting during initial hospitalization for older children.
  • Further research is warranted to explore these trends and develop tailored treatment protocols for obese pediatric burn patients.

Keywords:
Pediatricsburnhealingobesitywound

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