Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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In the United Stated population >70years is likely to double by the year 2050. Elderly population (>70years) are most vulnerable to burns and outcomes following such injuries in this special group is poorly studied. This study aimed to look at outcomes following burns in patients >70years over a period of 17 years. ⋯ Patients >70 years constitute small (8.6%) but significant number among burn patients. The overall ICU admissions, number of days on ventilator, ICU stay, in-hospital mortality and overall mortality is higher in this group of population even for low % TBSA burns. Presence of smoke inhalation increases mortality.
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Scar massage is used in burn units globally to improve functional and cosmetic outcomes of hypertrophic scarring following a burn, however, the evidence to support this therapy is unknown. ⋯ It appears that there is preliminary evidence to suggest that scar massage may be effective to decrease scar height, vascularity, pliability, pain, pruritus and depression in hypertrophic burns scaring. This review reflects the poor quality of evidence and lack of consistent and valid scar assessment tools. Controlled, clinical trials are needed to develop evidence-based guidelines for scar massage in hypertrophic burns scarring.
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Multicenter Study
Relationship between multidisciplinary critical care and burn patients survival: A propensity-matched national cohort analysis.
The aims of this study are: firstly, to investigate if admission to specialized burn critical care units leads to better clinical outcomes; secondly, to elucidate if the multidisciplinary critical care contributes to this superior outcome. ⋯ Admission to a specialized burn critical care service is independently associated with significant survival benefit. This is, at least in part, due to care being provided by a fully integrated multidisciplinary team.
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Comparative Study
Prospective comparative evaluation study of Laser Doppler Imaging and thermal imaging in the assessment of burn depth.
The accurate assessment of burn depth is challenging but crucial for surgical excision and tissue preservation. Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) has gained increasing acceptance as a tool to aid depth assessment but its adoption is hampered by high costs, long scan times and limited portability. Thermal imaging is touted as a suitable alternative however few comparison studies have been done. ⋯ LDI outperforms thermal imaging in terms of diagnostic accuracy of burn depth likely due to the susceptibility of thermal imaging to environmental factors.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Retrospective analysis on thermal injuries in children-Demographic, etiological and clinical data of German and Austrian pediatric hospitals 2006-2015-Approaching the new German burn registry.
The purpose of this observational, multi-center study was to reveal epidemiologic, etiological and clinical aspects of hospitalized children with thermal injuries in Germany and Austria and the workup of a renewed web-based pediatric burn registry. ⋯ This study extends our knowledge about population characterization of thermally injured children, highlights risk factors and serves as a basis for the renewed pediatric burn registry from 2016 on.