Defining research priorities in UK burns critical care: A national modified Delphi study

Advancing research in severe burn injury is challenging as the decreasing incidence in developed countries leads to underpowered studies. Although there is a significant need for research, any new studies ought to be considered of high priority to the clinical community to ensure efficiency of effort. We aimed to establish the foremost clinician-derived research priorities in UK burns critical care.

A modified Delphi approach was adopted to identify topics of research priority to the burns critical care community. Clinician representatives from burns units across the UK were invited to suggest unanswered research questions. These were refined into a list of indicative questions. A literature review excluded those that were already addressed. Unanswered indicative questions proceeded through two Delphi rounds, with a 24-member expert panel. Questions meeting the predetermined consensus thresholds underwent prioritisation and final ratification.

The initial survey generated 79 indicative questions. After two Delphi rounds, 50 questions were shortlisted. The prioritisation exercise reduced these to 14 high priority research questions. At final ratification, further refinement produced the 11 highest priority areas for research. These spanned key themes including resuscitation, inhalation injury, infection, pharmacotherapy and prognostication.

This study established the 11 highest priority research areas in burns critical care, as determined by UK clinical experts working in this field. These priorities provide a roadmap for future burns critical care research, helping to direct funding and resources toward areas with the greatest potential to enhance patient outcomes and advance clinical practice.