Stroke After Burn: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Vascular health
• Burn injury outcomes

Background:

• Burn injuries are linked to vascular issues like endothelial dysfunction and hypercoagulability, which are also stroke risk factors.
• Limited research exists on the specific risk of cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) following cutaneous burn injuries.
• Understanding this risk is crucial for patient management and preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing literature on cerebrovascular accidents occurring after cutaneous burn injuries.
• To identify the current evidence base regarding the incidence and risk factors of stroke post-burn.
• To highlight gaps in the research, particularly concerning applicability to diverse populations.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using PubMed Medline, Ovid Medline, and Cochrane databases.
• Searches focused on identifying studies reporting stroke after burn injuries in titles and abstracts.
• Twelve studies, including cohort/observational studies and case reports/series, met the final inclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• Most included studies indicated an elevated incidence or hazard ratio of stroke following burn injury.
• Significant heterogeneity among studies limited direct comparative analysis of stroke risk.
• A notable gap was identified, as none of the included studies originated from the United States.

Conclusions:

• The available literature suggests a potential increased risk of stroke after burn injury, but evidence is limited and heterogeneous.
• Further research is essential to accurately determine the risk of stroke post-burn and to inform clinical management strategies.
• Addressing the geographical gap in research is critical for broader applicability of findings.