RESUMEN
The study was carried out on 40 burned patients admitted to the burn unit of Alexandria Main University Hospital. The mean age of patients was 27.98 +/- 20.27 years. The burn was accidental in 82.5% of patients and in 17.5% it was an attempt of suicide. The home was responsible for more than three quarters of burn accident [77.5%]. More than a quarter of patients with attempted suicide by burn [28.5%] showed a high% of body surface area burned [90- 100%]. A significant relation was observed between carboxyhemoglobin% and body surface area burned. Again blood carboxyhemoglobin level was high in patients with head and neck burns, neck burns and multiple burns. There was a slight decrease in the PaO2 and pH, and a significant decrease in the PaCO2 and bicarbonate levels. Thus, the possibility of high carboxyhemoglobin level and change in the acid- base status should be considered in fire victims especially those with smoke inhalation