Retrospective evaluation of the factors influencing the mortalities of geriatric patients in a burn intensive care unit

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the geriatric patients hospitalized in our burn unit in terms of the changes in demographic distributions and treatment outcomes.

Materials and methods: We evaluated 101 geriatric patients (74 males, 27 females; mean age 66.6 years; range, 65 to 89 years) followed-up between January 2015 and December 2017 at University of Health Sciences Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Training and Research Hospital Burn Intensive Care Unit (BICU), whose data were correctly available, according to years, age, gender, cause and extent of burn, burn degree, month, season, place of residence, first referred health center, interval from injury to arrival at our burn center, treatment modality, treatment outcomes, and mortality reasons.

Results: The mean total body surface area burned was 21%. The most common etiology was scald burn. The most common etiology of mortalities was flame burn. Mortality rate was 20.3% with a statistically significant decrease over the years. The most common mortality reason was sepsis. Deaths due to acute renal failure or gastrointestinal hemorrhage also decreased over the years.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that age, burn percentage, or presence of inhalation injury increased mortality in geriatric patients. The Abbreviated Burn Severity Index and Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II scores at the start of treatment in the BICU were directly proportional to mortality.