The impact of social isolation by COVID-19 on the epidemiological and clinical profiles of the burn patients. A retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Social isolation, imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, may imply changes in the clinical-demographic and epidemiological profiles of burn trauma victims. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the changes in the epidemiological profile of patients with burns that resulted in hospitalization during the social isolation period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing with the same period in the previous year. METHODS: The medical records of burn patients who were hospitalized in our Burn Center during the local confinement period (March 18th to August 31st, 2020) and during the same period in 2019 were analyzed. Data on demographic, clinical and hospitalization aspects were studied. RESULTS: 470 patients were evaluated. In the pediatric population, a significant increase in the number of cases up to 2 years old (P = 0.0003), median of %TBSA (P = 0.037), full-thickness burns (P < 0.0001), involvement of hands (P = 0.024), debridement (P = 0.046) and grafting (P = 0.032) procedures, and higher scores of severity (P < 0.0001) were noted. In the adult population, it was only observed an increase in the burn-hospitalization interval (P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: The pediatric population was heavily impacted by the imposed period of social isolation, presenting a greater severity of burns. In contrast, the epidemiology of burns for the adult population was slightly altered during the pandemic period.