Predictors of Mortality in Paediatric Burns at Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Burn injury constitutes a major cause of trauma related morbidity and mortality. Improvements in care have resulted in reduced mortality in the burn patient significantly. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome andmanagement of burns in children.
This was a prospective study of children aged 0-13 years, managed in the burns unit of
University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between January 2001 and September 2003.
There were 62 patients, 42 (67.7%) were females and 20 (32.3%) were males (Male: Female= 1:2. Their ages ranged between 1month and 13 years (mean = 4.8 ± 3.8
years). Majority of the patients (56.5%) were below 4 years of age. Burn was caused predominantly by flame (57%), followed by inhalation injury in 43.5% of the patients. The
percentage total burn surface area (%TBSA) ranged between 1%and 95%(mean 29.7%± 22.8%), and 41.4% of the patients sustained amajor burn (TBSA= 30%).
Infective complications were present in 37% of patients. The overall mortality was 33.9%, and occurred in those patients with %TBSA of 14 95% (mean = 48.8%).
Mortality rate was 62.9% among those that had inhalation injury compared with 11.4% in those without inhalation injury. There was no mortality in those patients whose
%TBSAranged between 1 and 32%(mean = 17.5%). Percentage of the total body surface area burnt and the presence of inhalation injury were important predictors ofmortality in childhood burns injury.

Keywords: Burns,Children,Mortality

African Journal of Paediatric Surgery Vol. 4 (1) 2007: pp.29-32