Affiliation:
1. Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine Osaka University Suita Osaka Japan
2. Department of Trauma, Critical Care Medicine and Burn Center Japan Community Healthcare Organization Chukyo Hospital Nagoya Aichi Japan
3. Osaka Prefectural Nakakawachi Emergency and Critical Care Center Higashiosaka Osaka Japan
Abstract
AbstractAimWhen treating burn patients, some patients die in the chronic phase, even if they overcome the acute phase of the burn. To elucidate the timing of death and its underlying causes among burn patients.MethodsPatients evaluated were admitted to our burn center between January 2015, and December 2019. Patient information, time, and cause of death were retrospectively collected from their medical records.ResultsAmong 342 admitted patients, 49 died. The time of death was as follows: within 24 h (n = 9), within 3 days (n = 7), within 1 week (n = 5), within 2 weeks (n = 4), within 3 weeks (n = 3), within 30 days (n = 6), within 60 days (n = 5), and after 60 days (n = 9). The causes of death within 3 days were hypoxic encephalopathy, extensive burns (>80%), severe heat stroke, and acute coronary syndrome. The causes of death after 3 days were sepsis, pneumonia, intestinal ischemia, pancreatitis, and worsening of chronic diseases. The mortality rate was similar for patients ≥65 years of age and those with a burn area of ≥20%, with both groups showing a particularly poor prognosis.ConclusionsThe timing of death in hospitalized burn patients showed a bimodal distribution as approximately 40% of patients who survived the resuscitation period died after 30 days. Elderly patients were at particularly high risk for mortality. In burn care, treatment planning should consider not only the short‐term but also the long‐term prognosis.