Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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The purpose of this study was to establish patterns in types of burns referred to the Outpatient Clinic (OP) at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). ⋯ The results of our study demonstrate gaps in current provincial referral guidelines leading to a significant number of "unnecessary referrals." Further research could correlate the results to current provincial referral guidelines to estimate their current efficacy in practical use.
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The benefits of oxandrolone in burn patients has led to its accepted use in the burn care community, however details regarding the most common adverse effect, transaminitis, remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of transaminitis in patients with burn injury and identify risk factors associated with the development of transaminitis. This single-center, retrospective risk factor analysis compared burn patients on oxandrolone with and without the development of transaminitis, defined as any aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase value >100mg/dL. ⋯ The transaminitis group had a significantly higher proportion of other concomitant medications with a transaminitis risk (p=0.045). No significant difference in liver dysfunction or length of stay was observed between the two groups. Oxandrolone induced transaminitis is occurring in patients significantly more frequently than previously reported warranting further research to guide monitoring requirements, use of concomitant medications, and to determine if rechallenging after resolution should be considered.
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The use of SIRS score as a predictor of outcomes in patients with severe burns has not been fully evaluated. Here, we aimed to test that whether admission SIRS score, combining with other predictors, could be used in predicting outcomes in patients with severe burns. Additionally, we compared the prognostic accuracy of admission SIRS score with other score systems and newly developed models. ⋯ The model with the variables age, percentage full-thickness burns, and inhalation injury provided excellent prediction of poor outcomes in patients with severe burns, while SIRS score has limited use for prognostic determinations.
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For severe burns patient care presents a considerable challenge, necessitating an integrated multi-disciplinary approach that utilises a range of treatments. The period of care post-discharge can be lengthy and complex, and include scar management, occupational and physiotherapies, psychological support, and further surgery. How successfully the patient negotiates this complex care regimen is critical to their long-term recovery and in doing so they would appear to employ approaches recognised as "self-management" in other chronic conditions. However their exact nature and how they are used has yet to be explicitly explored amongst chronic burn patients. ⋯ Modern burn care is technologically advanced and delivered by a highly trained, multi-disciplinary team, yet the level of its success relies on the ability of the patient to independently fulfil a number of health-related tasks and activities once leaving hospital. Considering the potential cost-savings to health services and the prospect of improved outcomes for patients capable of self-management our work is an important first step in more precisely understanding the use of self-management amongst burns patients, and the level of implicit or explicit support currently offered by their care providers.
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Silver has been widely used as a topical antimicrobial agent in burn wound care. In a previous study, we demonstrated the introduction of nano-silver particles to porcine small intestinal submucosa (NS-PSIS) led to significant enhancement in antibacterial property in repairing contaminated abdominal defect. In this study, we explored the efficacy of NS-PSIS in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected partial-thickness burn wounds. ⋯ Nano-silver modified porcine small intestinal submucosa (NS-PSIS) can be used as a biological derivative dressing for the treatment of infected partial-thickness burn wounds.