Factors Associated With Outcomes After Burn Care: A Retrospective Study in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Abstract In low-income countries, the incidence of burns is high and severe burns are frequently managed at peripheral facilities. Outcome after burn care is poorly studied although it might help identify risk-group and improve treatment strategies. This study aimed to study factors associated with in-hospital outcomes in a burn cohort in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this retrospective study, we included burn patients admitted to the surgical department at the Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu between January 2013 and December 2018. Differences between groups were tested using χ 2 test or Fisher's exact tests or Wilcoxon rank sum test, as appropriate. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of patients and of burn characteristics on in-hospital mortality, prolongated length of stay (=LOS ≥ 25 days), and occurrence of complications. The study population consisted of 100 patients, mainly young males with the rural origin, moderate-sized but deep burns. Of them, 46 developed complications, 12 died. Median LOS was 25 days (IQR: 15–42). In-hospital death was independently associated with Total Burn Surface Area percentage “TBSA%” (OR = 3.96; 95% CI = 1.67–9.40) and Full-thickness Burns (FTB) (10.68; 1.34–84.74); prolongated LOS with FTB (3.35; 1.07–10.49), and complication with rural origin (5.84; 1.51–22.53), TBSA% (3.96; 1.67–9.40), FTB (4.08; 1.19–14.00), and burns on multiple sites (4.38; 1.38–13.86). In-hospital death was associated with TBSA% and FTB, prolongated LOS with FTB, and complications with burns characteristics and rural origin of the patients. Additional studies are necessary to investigate the effect of provided burn care on outcomes.