A low volume burn resuscitation regimen: assessment of performance by probit analysis

The findings are presented of a 10-year retrospective review of burn admissions to the Wessex Regional Burn Centre, where a low volume colloid resuscitation regimen is employed. An analysis of mortality probability has been conducted using probit analysis, and the areas of burn injury associated with a 50 per cent mortality probability (LA50) were determined for four different age groups. LA50 values obtained were 0-14 years 59 per cent body surface area (BSA) burn, 15-44 years 70 per cent BSA burn, 45-64 years 38 per cent burn, 65 years and over 17 per cent BSA burn. The figures obtained parallel closely those reported from another large burn centre in the United Kingdom where a widely different fluid regimen is used. The results of this analysis suggest that wide variations in fluid resuscitation regimens, particularly with regard to volume, do little to affect the mortality associated with burn injury as assessed by probit analysis.