• Daiva Gudaviciene and Rytis Rimdeika.
• Division of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eiveniu 2, 50010 Kaunas, Lithuania. daikle@centras.lt
• Medicina (Kaunas). 2004 Jan 1; 40 (4): 374-8.

UnlabelledObjective of this study was to investigate mortality of burned patients, treated in Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital during 1993-2002, changes of mortality, causes of death, to assess patients' age, gender, burn agent, and adjacent diseases.Material And MethodsRetrospective analysis of case-records of 283 burned patients deceased during 1993-2002 was done.ResultsDuring 1993-2002, 1876 burned adult patients were hospitalized in Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital. The mortality rate of burned patients was between 9 and 22% (average--13.3%, standard deviation--3.8). Age of deceased patients was on average 56 years (standard deviation--8); actually 21.6% were older that 80 years. There were 62% men among deceased burned patients. Common body surface area burned was 32% (standard deviation--28.6%), deep burn area was at average 22% (standard deviation--19.8%). Seventy two percent of burns were caused by fire, and 10% of patients were scalded. In 35% case-records adjacent diseases were not mentioned, in 57% atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease were diagnosed, 5% of patients had respiratory diseases, 7% had central nervous system troubles, mental disorders were diagnosed in 2%. Eight percent were cachectic at admission, 6%--with chronic alcohol dependence. In 70% of patients pneumonia was diagnosed, in 13%--pulmonary edema, and in 39%--sepsis. Deceased patients were treated until death on average 14 days (standard deviation--6); during first two weeks 50% died.ConclusionsAt higher mortality risk are elder burned patient with major burns, especially with serious adjacent diseases. Common death causes in burned patients are pneumonia, pulmonary edema and sepsis.

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