Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Recently, many studies have demonstrated pleotropic effects of vitamin D, including immune modulation and cardiovascular system activity. Sufficient vitamin D concentrations and supplementation of vitamin D may be of benefit in burn-injured patients. ⋯ The preferred vitamin D dose, formulation, and route of administration remain unknown, and there is limited data on the impact of vitamin D status on clinical outcomes. Further research should focus on determining optimal monitoring strategies, supplementation regimens and clinical outcomes like mortality, length of stay and incidence of sepsis.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of military and civilian burn patients admitted to a single center during 12 years of war.
The current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan resulted in an increased incidence of burn injury in the military population. We sought to compare the characteristics and outcomes of this population to a civilian cohort cared for at the same burn center over the same time-period. ⋯ Military patients exhibited improved survival and functional recovery over their civilian counterparts. However, mortality did not differ between civilian and military patients after controlling for known covariates. Further studies are needed to improve functional outcomes in civilian patients, who may not have the inherent advantages of younger age and healthier physical status found in military patients.
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During the last decade, the Versajet™ hydrosurgery system has become popular as a tool for tangential excision in burn surgery. Although hydrosurgery is thought to be a more precise and controlled manner for burn debridement prior to skin grafting, burn specialists decide individually whether hydrosurgery should be applied in a specific patient or not. The aim of this study was to gain insight in which patients hydrosurgery is used in specialized burn care in the Netherlands. ⋯ The use of hydrosurgery for burn wound debridement prior to skin grafting is substantial. Independent predictors for the use of hydrosurgery were mainly burn related and consisted of a younger age, scalds, a larger TBSA burned, and burns on irregularly contoured body areas. Randomized studies addressing scar quality are needed to open new perspectives on the potential benefits of hydrosurgical burn wound debridement.
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Impulsiveness is a tendency to act quickly based on a whim without reflection or consideration of consequences. We studied its correlations with burn variables and mental disorders among burn patients. ⋯ Impulsiveness had a significant correlation with mental disorders but not with burn-related variables. Therefore the role of impulsiveness in burn injuries should not be investigated independently without first accounting for the role of mental disorders.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Evaluation of leap motion control for hand rehabilitation in burn patients: An experience in the dust explosion disaster in Formosa Fun Coast.
Hand burns cause functional impairment. Leap motion control (LMC), a kind of virtual reality games, employs a novel system that provides biofeedback and training of fine motor function and functional skills. In this study, we hypothesized that LMC would improve burned hand function. ⋯ We found improvements in BSHS-B, QuickDASH, and iADL in the LMC group (all p<0.05) compared to those in the control group. In the LMC-trained hand, the ROM of the thumb IP joint and pinch strength increased, whereas the scar thickness over the first dorsal interossei muscle decreased (p<0.05). In conclusion, leap motion training could help patients with hand burns to increase finger ROM, decrease scar thickness, and improve hand function.