The factors influenced on the length of hospital stay in burn patients.

The aim of this study was to analyse association between the factors ; (the extent of burn, patient’s age, type of micro-organism, severity of infection and patient’s past medical illness) and the length of hospital stay among 147 survived burn patients who were admitted to the Burn Unit, Siriraj Hospital during January 1, 1994 to August 31, 1997. By using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for bivariate analysis. It was found that statistical significant determinants for variance in the length of hospital stay were extent of burn (F=43.130, df=1,145, p-value<0.0001), type of micro-organism (F=40.792, df=1,145, p-value<0.0001). severity of infection (F=24,409, df=1,145, p-value<0.0001), and type of burn (F=12.815, df=1,145, p-value<0.0001). When we entered these 4 influential independent variables in a final multiple classification analysis, the total explained variance in the length of hospital stay was 44.4% whereas the explained variance were 12.25%, 10.24%, 3.61% and 3.61% for extent of burn, type of micro-organism, severity of infection and type of burn, respectively.

A supplemental special burn diet for extensively burned patients.

Sixteen severely burned patients, divided into four groups according to the extent of their burns, were studied while being fed a special diet used as a supplemental nutritional support. The first group of two patients comprised those with burns covering less than 20 percent of the body surface area (BSA). The second group of six patients comprised those with burns covering 21-40 percent BSA. The third group of six patients had burns covering 41-60 percent BSA, and the fourth group of two patients had burns more than 60 percent BSA. The special diet for burn patients was given as a supplemental diet between meals or with meals to fulfil each patient’s demand for calories and protein. Enteral feeding was started as soon as the gastrointestinal function could be tolerated. We found that the special diet for burn patients raised the positive nitrogen balance in all group and kept weight loss to a minimum. For those burned extensively, particularly those with burns exceeding 40 percent BSA, some from of parenteral nutrition was needed as a secondary supplemental diet. Serum albumin gradually rose to the normal levels tended to be slightly elevated. Unfortunately, we have not been able to follow the changes in body chemistry after the patients were discharged from the hospital.