Prognostic indicators in burned patients

The clinical course and outcome of 64 burned patients treated in the intensive care unit were analysed in order to find indicators for prognosis. Total burn area varied from 7 to 90% of body surface area. 17 patients (27%) died. In addition to the extent of burn injury and nature of it, e.g. airway burns, disturbances in some biochemical parameters were associated with increased mortality. These were disturbances in haematocrit, thrombocyte numbers, arterial pH, serum protein concentration and serum osmolality during the first three days of treatment. By means of a logistic model factors were obtained which proved most significant for prognosis; these were the age of the patient, arterial pH and serum protein concentration at the beginning of the treatment. The results suggest that the extent of the burned area is not the only factor affecting the outcome of the patient.