Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Electrical injuries exhibit significant acute and long-term sequelae. Amputation and neurological deficits are common in electrical injury survivors. There is a paucity of information on the long-term outcomes of this population. Therefore, this study examines the long-term outcomes of electrical injuries by comparing them to fire/flame injuries. ⋯ Adult survivors with electrical injuries reported worse physical health and were less likely to be employed at 24 months post-injury compared to survivors with fire/flame injuries. A more detailed understanding of return to work barriers and work accommodations is merited for the electrical injury population. Furthermore, the results of this study should inform future resource allocation for the physical health and employment needs of this population.
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To evaluate the impact of comorbidity and predicting value of the modified Elixhauser comorbidity index score on the outcome of burn patients. ⋯ Pre-existing medical conditions lead to more severe and worse outcomes among burn patients. Modified Elixhauser comorbidity index score should be used as a prognosis factor for outcomes of burn patients.
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Guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, this study seeks to (1) examine the independent relationships between the level of distress among burn survivors, pre-morbid psychiatric history, and burn severity on length of hospital stay, and (2) to examine the relationship between having a premorbid psychiatric history and level of distress following a burn injury. ⋯ A need exists to assess for and address premorbid and current mental health challenges of burn survivors, specifically the ability to cope, especially among people of color and women, regardless of the burn size or severity.
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Literature indicates that children from ethnic minorities are at increased risk of sustaining burns. Moreover, parents may experience more psychological distress but why this is the case is poorly investigated. ⋯ Parents with an ethnic minority background are at risk to experience increased distress after their child's burn injury. By exploring the aforementioned factors, health care professionals may increase the family's wellbeing. It may provide a starting point to offer tailored help.
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Shedding of syndecan-1 from the endothelial glycocalyx layer (EGL), referred to as endotheliopathy of trauma (EoT), is associated with poorer outcomes. This study aims to determine if EoT is also present in the burn population. We enrolled 458 burn and non-burn trauma patients at a Level 1 trauma center and defined EoT by a syndecan-1 level of ≥40 ng/mL. ⋯ EoT is attributed to the shock rather than the mechanism of trauma and may in burns be associated to II rather than TBSA. Patients with burns and II had worse outcomes and higher mortality compared to patients with burns alone. Burn injury induces EGL shedding similar to that in non-burn patients with EoT, and results in similar higher rate of mortality.