For patients with massive burn injury, kidney failure has the strongest independent link with mortality, compared with burn size and patient age, according to a study published in the Journal of Burn Care & Research. Researchers analyzed data from 155 adults with more than 50% TBSA burns, among whom 63% presented with a concomitant inhalation injury and average burn size was 70% TBSA. Within 24 hours of admission, approximately 30% of patients transitioned to comfort care. Renal failure (OR, 10.2; P=0.00005), patient age (OR, 1.05; P=0.025), “and TBSA (OR, 1.07; P=0.005) were independently linked with mortality, based on multivariate regression analysis. Patients with psychiatric conditions (23%) tended to require more
inpatient care and spent more time on a ventilator (31 vs 12 days; P=0.046), more time in the hospital (62 vs 30 days; P=0.004), and underwent more surgery (four vs two operations, P=0.03), but had a lower mortality rate (34% vs 59%; P=0.02).
