An Examination of Factors Predicting Inpatient Rehabilitation Stay After Burn Injury: A Burns Model System Study

Area of Science:

• Burn injury research
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Clinical outcomes analysis

Background:

• Inpatient rehabilitation (IR) is crucial for functional recovery after burn injuries.
• Factors influencing the duration of IR stays remain underexplored.
• Identifying predictors of IR length can optimize resource allocation and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient and clinical factors associated with the length of inpatient rehabilitation (IR) stays in burn survivors.
• To analyze the relationship between demographic and injury characteristics and IR duration.
• To inform clinical decision-making regarding rehabilitation planning for burn patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Burn Model System National Database (1994-2022).
• Included adult participants discharged to IR post-hospitalization.
• Employed negative binomial regression to analyze associations between IR days and various characteristics.

Main Results:

• The study included 585 participants with an average IR stay of 22.8 days.
• Increased IR days were linked to larger total body surface area (TBSA) burns, ventilator days, high-voltage electrical injuries, range of motion (ROM) deficits, foot burns, and self-inflicted injuries.
• Hand burns and non-private payor sources were associated with shorter IR stays.

Conclusions:

• Burn injury complexity significantly influences the length of inpatient rehabilitation.
• Identifying factors associated with longer IR stays is essential for effective rehabilitation planning and resource management.
• Further research can explore anticipated IR length of stay (LOS) and guiding factors for rehabilitation resources.