[Mortality factors in flame and scalds burns: our experience in 816 patients].

Background: Our aim was to evaluate the effective factors on mortality in flame and scald burns in the Diyarbakir region.

Methods: The data of 816 patients who applied to the Dicle University Emergency Department between January 2001 and May 2005 with flame and scald burns were investigated retrospectively. The patients were separated into two groups as alive or deceased. Gender, age, burns shapes, burn degrees and rates, burn regions, admission periods, hospitalization times, complications, and the treatments were analyzed.

Results: 43.5% of the patients were female and 57.5% were male. Six hundred fifty-eight patients were under 6 years old. 70.5% of burns occurred as a result of negligence; 76.5% occurred due to scald and 23.5% due to flame. In cases of death, 39 patients were under 10 years old. The mean age was 9.32 years. The average hospitalization period was 10.37 days. The most common complication was wound infection. The mortality rate was 6.1%.

Conclusion: The mortality rate was higher among patients who were hospitalized longer than 15 days (p = 0.030); whose burns were due to suicide attempt (p = 0.002); who used shoe paint on the burn wounds instead of treatment (p = 0.000); who had more than 40% second-degree burns (p = 0.000) or more than 20% third-degree burns (p = 0.000); and among those with acute respiratory failure, compartment syndrome, hypoalbuminemia, and sepsis (p = 0.000).