Outcome following burns from 1985 to 2004 in the Centre for Severely Burned Patients, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium

Background

Mortality in burn patients can be estimated by three major risk factors for death: age > 60 years, total burned surface area (TBSA) > 40% and presence of an inhalation injury [1]. The formula developed by Ryan predicts 0.3%, 3%, 33% and 90% mortality when zero, one, two or three risk factors are present.

Objective

A retrospective evaluation of the prognostic value of these three risk factors in patients admitted to our burn unit over a 20-year period (May 1985–November 2004) (n = 1385).

Results

Mean age was 32 ± 23 years. The mean %TBSA was 19 ± 18%. Inhalation injury was present in 166 patients (12%). Overall mortality was 7%. When zero, one, two or three risk factors were present, mortality was respectively 0.5%, 10%, 48% and 91%. Risk factors and related mortality rates are presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Table 1

Conclusion

Global mortality following burns is low. Nearly all patients who died had at least one risk factor present. Given the broad classes of this classification and the differences in age and %TBSA between Ryan's study and our population, this model predicts mortality in a reliable but very coarse way.