Clinical Profiles and the Outcomes of Burn Patients Admitted to the Burn Unit of Jimma Medical Center

BACKGROUND: Burn is a serious public health problem and a leading cause of disability and disfigurement. However, there was no published study from our Hospital Burn Unit that assessed the clinical profiles and the outcomes of burn patients. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess the clinical profiles and the outcomes of patients admitted with burn injuries. METHODS: Hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Burn Unit of JMC. Systematic random sampling was used to include the burn patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ(2)), and student-t-test were performed to describe and assess the relationships between the variables. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the factors affecting the length of hospital stays. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four burn patients (51.6% female) were included. The majority (79.84%) of the patients were in the age category of less than 29 years. Scalds (47.6%) were the most common cause of burns with three times in females. The extremities (93.5%) were the most frequently affected areas. Patients with second-degree superficial burns accounted for 61.3% of all patients. In 95.88% of the patients, the total body surface area burn (TBSA) was below 20%. Lactated ringers (69.4%) and tramadol (71.0%) were the most frequently used IV fluid for resuscitation and analgesic agent for pain, respectively. Patients who undergo any of the surgical procedures stayed in the hospital for greater than 30 days more than 4 times likely (OR = 4.8, 95% CI 2.08–11.2, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Scalds are the most common cause of burn injury, particularly in patients aged less than 14 years. Educating the community about the risk groups, household safety precautions, and early seeking medical care may reduce the incidence and morbidity of burn injuries.