Clinical Profile and Outcome of Burn Injuries amongst Children in a Tertiary Care Center of North India

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of pediatric burn patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study that reviewed the records of all burn victims aged 0 to 12 who were admitted in a tertiary care hospital in North India over one year. Collected data included patient demographics such as age, gender, burn causal agents, discharge time, Total body surface area (TBSA) burnt by using Lund and Brauder’s Rule, the duration of stay, the season and month of admission that burn occurred, and burn characteristics, such as region of body involved, percentage of area burnt, complications and outcome. Results: 129 paediatric burn patients under 12 were included with median age of 4 years. Scald caused the majority of burns (81.4%), followed by dry burns (14.7%) and electric injuries (3.9%). The Median burn percentage was 20 and most burn patients were encountered during the winter season. The face and neck (56.6%) were involved in majority of cases, with a 4.6% overall mortality rate. Conclusion: This retrospective study provides valuable insights into the clinical profile of burn patients admitted to a tertiary care center in North India. The study's findings can help guide the development of targeted interventions and resource allocation to improve burn care in this region, ultimately reducing morbidity and mortality among burn patients.