Epidemiologic analysis of patients with burns presenting to the burn units of a University Hospital Network in Turkey

This retrospective study analyzed risk factors in addition to the demographic and epidemiological features of 813 burn patients who were admitted to the burn units of a University Hospital Network in Turkey during a 6-year period. The study consisted of 436 men (53.6%) and 377 women (46.4%; mean age, 31; range, 0-87 years). The age distribution of the patients peaked at 1 to 6 years and at 35 to 44 years. The most common types of burns were scalds (63.8%) and flame burns (22.1%). The mean TBSA burned was 9.4 +/- 15.3% in adults and 19.8 +/- 18.6% in children. The median and mean hospital stays were 16 and 22.8 days, respectively (range, 1-114 days). A total of 813 patients were evaluated, leaving only 255 hospitalized patients. Of the hospitalized patients, 100 (74.6%) underwent autografting, 8 (6.0%) underwent amputation, 113 (84.3%) underwent débridment, and 76 (56.7%) underwent escharotomy. The mortality rate among hospitalized patients was 14.1%. Although this study provides information about the population within close proximity to our burn units, there remains a need for a countrywide database of burn incidents.