ABSTRACT
Seasons have a major impact on the frequency and characteristics of burn injuries; in warmer months, thermal burns from outdoor activities are more common, while in cooler months, incidents involving heating sources and fires are more common. It is essential to comprehend these trends in order to customise safety precautions and awareness initiatives. Studies on the impact of seasonal variations help burn centres allocate resources more effectively in order to prepare for variations in patient volume and severity. Data from January 2016 to December 2022, with an emphasis on burn types excluding non-burn cases, were analysed retrospectively over a seven-year period at the Burn Care Centre in PIMS, Islamabad. The research examined hospital stays, demographics, burn causes, admissions, total burned surface area, and death rates while dividing the years into winter and summer seasons for analysis. With 4,014 admitted patients, the study found that winter admissions increased by 11.007%, with winter admissions accounting for 55.503% of all admissions and summer admissions for 44.496%. The gender distribution stayed the same, with 54.59% of the population being male and 45.99% being female. Hospital stays were longer for summer admissions (16.428) than for winter admissions (11.285). Summertime saw a rise in electric burn cases (307 cases), with a 43 case fatality rate. With 1699 cases, flame burns predominated in the epidemiology of burns, followed by scald burns with 1384 cases. In conclusion, seasonal differences have a substantial impact on burn profiles, with winter seeing a marked rise in occurrences. Men are also more likely to sustain electric burns, particularly in the summer. Effective management and prevention techniques depend on an understanding of these patterns.
ABSTRACT
Severe burn injuries pose diagnostic challenges, contributing to increased fatality rates with delayed diagnoses. This study aims to identify early risk factors and understand their impact on clinical outcomes by examining hematological dynamics in severe burn cases. The focus includes age-related patterns, Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) affected by burns, hospital stay duration, and changes in hematological markers during burn injuries. An analytical cross-sectional study at the Burn Care Centre involved 135 participants hospitalized between January 2018 and December 2021. Demographic data and hematological markers were recorded, with statistical analysis using IBM SPSS 25.0. Non-survivors exhibited a greater mean TBSA, shorter hospital stay, and an enhanced early immune response indicated by WBC count on the first day. Hematological markers, including HGB, RCC, and PLT, showed dynamic patterns over the study period. Marginal variations in platelet counts and intriguing patterns in RCC suggested potential consequences like disseminated intravascular coagulation. The study provides crucial insights into hematological responses to severe burn injuries. Early identification of risk factors, particularly age-related patterns and immune responses, informs clinicians about predicting outcomes and guiding therapeutic interventions. Despite limitations, this work underscores the need for further multi-center research to comprehensively understand the complex relationships between burn injuries, hematological responses, and clinical outcomes.
Subject(s)
Burns , Humans , Burns/complications , Burns/therapy , Exercise Therapy , Gait , Exercise Test , Lower ExtremityABSTRACT
The primary goal of the rehabilitation services offered to patients with lower limb burns is to enhance gait function. Exercise on a treadmill and conventional overground gait training are the two most widespread gait-training methods. Numerous studies have been published in the literature that claim treadmill training helps people walk more easily. Therefore, it would be intriguing to investigate whether treadmill gait training affects the progress made by post-lower limb burn patients compared to traditional overground gait training. The goal of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of treadmill training and traditional physical therapy therapies for improving gait after lower limb burn injury. A comparative study was conducted between January to August 2022 at a burns care unit, in Islamabad. All the participants were informed about the study procedure and consent was taken before initiating the study. All the participants received the set standard of Burn Rehabilitation by the American Burn Association (ABA). The program consists of ROM exercises, mobilization, functional mobility, stretching, balance training, and resisted exercises for enhancing muscle power. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 24.0 software. The study subjects selected were 30 burn patients, aged above 18 years, vitally stable, and had lower limb burn injuries with an average TBSA (total burn surface area) of 20-30%. The mean for the Experimental is 18.86 and for the control group is 21.13. Patients were randomly either assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The Experimental group had a lower Time Up and Go test score of 11.86 ± 3.58 (9.50-24.07) as compared to the control group's TUG score (of 12.78 ± 4.41 (6.30-24.07). Functional mobility significantly improved as the P < 0.05. The total mean scores calculated on the Tampa Kinesiophobia scale for the Experimental group were 35.66 ± 6.32 which was less compared with those of the control group 37.93 ± 6.36. It demonstrates that fear of movement was reduced for treadmill training participants. Comparison of pre-distance (350.9 ± 86.82), pre-velocity (62.78 ± 20.20), and post-distance (385.02 ± 32.29), post-velocity 40.48 ± 21.91 of the experimental group with the control group pre-distance (339.26 ± 98.17), pre-velocity (55.07 ± 22.63), post-distance (383.07 ± 36.914), and post-velocity (40.57 ± 21.95) showed significant changes in results. In contrast to traditional gait training, treadmill training significantly improves walking ability in burn patients with lower limb damage.
