Patterns of severe burn injury in adults throughout the year

Understanding the patterns of burn injuries over different times of the year and throughout the day is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies and improving patient outcomes. Seasonal variations, often linked to environmental conditions, activities, and behaviors, play a critical role in the frequency and severity of burn injuries. By identifying these patterns, we can better inform public health initiatives and optimize resource allocation in healthcare settings for the treatment of burn injuries.

The study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study by analyzing the data from the burn registry of the German Burn Society from 2016 to 2023. In the analyzed period, 10432 adult patients were included in the present study.

Regardless of the day of the week or the weekend, a peak in admissions can be seen between 2 and 3 pm. Patients suffered the most burn injuries on a Saturday (n = 1578; 15.1 %), while the fewest burn injuries occurred on a Tuesday (n = 1390; 13.3 %). The distribution of flame, grease/oil, and explosion injuries shows a clear increase in the summer and a lower number of cases in autumn and winter. A peak in the number of patients with burn injury is seen on the 1st of January, with 83 (0.8 %) reported cases requiring treatment in an intensive care unit. The day with the fewest burn injuries requiring treatment in an intensive care unit is 1 December with 11 cases (0.1 %).

In summary, various external factors influence the frequency of burn trauma. The early afternoon and the summer season show clear peaks admission frequency. The days of week only showed a minor variation.