FAS(APO), DAMP, and AKT Phosphoproteins Expression Predict the Development of Nosocomial Infection After Pediatric Burn Injury.

Pediatric burn injuries are a leading cause of morbidity with infections being the most common acute complication. Thermal injuries elicit a heightened cytokine response while suppressing immune function; however, the mechanisms leading to this dysfunction are still unknown. Our aim was to identify extracellular proteins and circulating phosphoprotein expression in the plasma after burn injury to predict the development of nosocomial infection (NI). Plasma was collected within 72 hours after injury from sixty-four pediatric burn subjects; of these, eighteen went on to develop a NI. Extracellular damage associated molecular proteins (DAMPs), FAS(APO), and protein kinase b (AKT) signaling phosphoproteins were analyzed. Subjects who went on to develop a NI had elevated high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and FAS expression than those who did not develop a NI after injury (NoNI). Concurrently, phosphorylated (p-) AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) were elevated in those subjects who went on to develop a NI. Quadratic discriminant analysis revealed distinct differential profiles between NI and NoNI burn subjects using HSP90, FAS, and p-mTOR. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curves displayed significant ability to distinguish between these two burn subject cohorts. These findings provide insight into predicting the signaling proteins involved in the development of NI in pediatric burn patients. Further these proteins show promise as a diagnostic tool for pediatric burn patients at risk of developing infection while additional investigation may lead to potential therapeutics to prevent NI.

Impact of laser treatment on hypertrophic burn scars in pediatric burn patients.

Paediatric patients with hypertrophic burn scars benefit from laser treatment, but this treatment's effectiveness on burn wounds stratified by specific body region and prior burn wound therapy has not been fully evaluated. We performed a single center retrospective study of pediatric burn patients, treated with fractional CO2, with or without pulse dye, laser between 2018-2022. We identified 99 patients treated with 332 laser sessions. Median age at the time of burn injury was 4.0 years (IQR 1.7, 10.0) and 7.1 years (IQR 3.6, 12.2) at the time of first laser treatment. In the acute setting, 55.2 % were treated with dermal substrate followed by autografting, 29.6 % were treated with dermal substrate alone, and 9.1 % underwent autografting alone. Most body regions showed improvement in modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS) score with laser treatment. mVSS scores improved significantly with treatment to the anterior trunk (-1.18, p = 0.01), arms (-1.14, p = 0.003), and legs (-1.17, p = 0.015). Averaging all body regions, the mVSS components of pigmentation (-0.34, p < 0.001) and vascularity (-0.47, p < 0.001), as well as total score (-0.81, p < 0.001) improved significantly. Knowing the variable effectiveness of laser treatment in pediatric burn scars is useful in counseling patients and families pre-treatment.

Management of Acute Wounds-Expert Panel Consensus Statement.

Significance: The Wound Healing Foundation recognized the need for consensus-based unbiased recommendations for the treatment of wounds. As a first step, a consensus on the treatment of chronic wounds was developed and published in 2022. The current publication on acute wounds represents the second step in this process. Acute wounds may result from any number of conditions, including burns, military and combat operations, and trauma to specific areas of the body. The management of acute wounds requires timely and evidence-driven intervention to achieve optimal clinical outcomes. This consensus statement provides the clinician with the necessary foundational approaches to the causes, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of acute wounds. Presented in a structured format, this is a useful guide for clinicians and learners in all patient care settings. Recent Advances: Recent advances in the management of acute wounds have centered on stabilization and treatment in the military and combat environment. Specifically, advancements in hemostasis, resuscitation, and the mitigation of infection risk through timely initiation of antibiotics and avoidance of high-pressure irrigation in contaminated soft tissue injury. Critical Issues: Critical issues include infection control, pain management, and the unique considerations for the management of acute wounds in pediatric patients. Future Directions: Future directions include new approaches to preventing the progression and conversion of burns through the use of specific gel formulations. Additionally, the use of three-dimensional bioprinting and photo-modulation for reconstruction is a promising area for continued discovery.

Features of virtual reality impact effectiveness of VR pain alleviation therapeutics in pediatric burn patients: A randomized clinical trial.

Key features of virtual reality (VR) that impact the effectiveness of pain reduction remain unknown. We hypothesized that specific features of the VR experience significantly impact VR's effectiveness in reducing pain during pediatric burn dressing care. Our randomized controlled trial included children 6 to 17 years (inclusive) who were treated in the outpatient clinic of an American Burn Association-verified pediatric burn center. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to active VR (playing the VR), passive VR (immersed in the same VR environment without interactions), or standard-of-care. On a scale from 0 to 100, participants rated overall pain (primary outcome) and features of the VR experience (game realism, fun, and engagement). Path analysis assessed the interrelationships among these VR key features and their impact on self-reported pain scores. From December 2016 to January 2019, a total of 412 patients were screened for eligibility, and 90 were randomly assigned (31 in the active VR group, 30 in the passive VR group, and 29 in the standard-of-care group). The current study only included those in the VR groups. The difference in median scores of VR features was not statistically significant between the active (realism, 77.5 [IQR: 50-100]; fun, 100 [IQR: 81-100]; engagement, 90 [IQR: 70-100]) and passive (realism, 72 [IQR: 29-99]; fun, 93.5 [IQR: 68-100]; engagement, 95 [IQR: 50-100]) VR distraction types. VR engagement had a significant direct (-0.39) and total (-0.44) effect on self-reported pain score (p<0.05). Key VR features significantly impact its effectiveness in pain reduction. The path model suggested an analgesic mechanism beyond distraction. Differences in VR feature scores partly explain active VR's more significant analgesic effect than passive VR. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04544631.

Development of the Preschool Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (PS-LIBRE1-5) Profile.

Physical, social, and psychological outcomes have been identified as relevant to the rehabilitation process of children with burn injuries. Existing legacy measures are limited in item content and only cover a few constructs. Condition-specific outcomes are highly relevant to gauge early growth and development. Computerized adaptive tests (CATs) leveraging advanced psychometric technologies minimize respondent burden. This project developed PS-LIBRE1-5 Profile CAT (Preschool Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation) to measure relevant postburn outcomes in children aged one to five. Responses to the field-tested PS-LIBRE1-5 Profile (188 items) were measured on a scale of frequency or ability. Scores were coded from 0 to 4 where higher scores reflected better functioning. Factor analysis identified the items retained in the final item bank of each scale. CAT simulations were conducted to estimate the mean score of each scale. The simulated CAT score and full item bank scores were compared based upon the score range, ceiling and floor effects, and marginal reliabilities. The child mean age was 3.0 ± 1.5 years (n = 500). Average burn size and time since burn injury were 4.2% TBSA and 1.1 years, respectively. Psychometric analysis resulted in eight scales: Physical, Communication and Language, Emotional Wellbeing, Mood, Anxiety, Peer Acceptance, Play, and Peer Relations. Ceiling effects were acceptable at <13% for all scales. Marginal reliabilities of the CATs were credible. The PS-LIBRE1-5 Profile CAT contains 111 items, and is a comprehensive measure that captures physical, communication and language, psychological, and social functioning of preschool burn survivors.

Characterizing Delirium and Associated Risk Factors Using the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium Score in Pediatric Burn Patients.

Delirium is a syndrome of acute brain dysfunction with disturbance in consciousness and cognition that is increasingly recognized in critically ill pediatric patients. The Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) tool is used to detect delirium in children of all ages and developmental stages in various hospital settings. To date, the incidence of delirium in the pediatric burn population has been poorly defined. In order to describe the incidence as well as risk factors for delirium in this patient population, we retrospectively reviewed patients <18 years of age admitted to our American Burn Association-verified pediatric burn center from March 2018 to May 2021 who underwent delirium screening using the CAPD tool. Patient demographics, burn characteristics, hospitalization details, and date of first positive delirium screening were collected, and χ2, Fisher's exact test, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Delirium was identified in 42 (10.8%) of 389 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Patients screening positive for delirium were older (4 years [IQR: 2, 11] vs 2 years [IQR: 1, 6], P < .0005) and had larger TBSA burns (21.63% [IQR: 9, 42] vs 3.5% [IQR: 1.75, 6], P < .0001) than delirium-negative patients. Delirium-positive patients required a longer duration of mechanical ventilation (OR 4.23; 95% CI [1.16-15.39], P = .0289) and had higher TBSA burns (OR 1.12; 95% CI [1.06-1.17], P < .0001). Delirium-positive patients had 1.6 day longer length-of-stay adjusted for TBSA burned (95% CI [0.81-2.41], P < .0001). Compared to delirium-negative patients, delirium-positive patients had a 5.4-day longer PICU admission (95% CI [2.93-10.3]; P < .0001). Screening pediatric burn patients with risk factors known to be associated with delirium by using the CAPD score could improve delirium prevention and allow for early intervention.

A single institution case series of ReCell® use in treating pediatric burns.

BACKGROUND: Thermal injury has a significant impact on disability and morbidity in pediatric patients. Challenges in caring for pediatric burn patients include limited donor sites for large total body surface area (TBSA) burn as well as optimization of wound management for long term growth and cosmesis. ReCell® technology produces autologous skin cell suspensions from minimal donor split-thickness skin samples, allowing for expanded coverage using minimal donor skin. Most literature on outcomes reports on adult patients. OBJECTIVE: We present the largest to-date retrospective review of ReCell® technology use in pediatric patients at a single pediatric burn center. METHOD: Patients were treated at a quaternary care, free-standing, American Burn Association verified Pediatric Burn Center. A retrospective chart review was performed from September 2019 to March 2022, during which time twenty-one pediatric burn patients had been treated with ReCell® technology. Patient information was collected, including demographics, hospital course, burn wound characteristics, number of ReCell® applications, adjunct procedures, complications, healing time, Vancouver scar scale measurements, and follow-up. A descriptive analysis was performed, and medians were reported. RESULTS: Median TBSA burn on initial presentation was 31% (ranging 4%-86%). The majority of patients (95.2%) had placement of a dermal substrate prior to ReCell® application. Four patients did not receive split thickness skin grafting with their ReCell® treatment. The median time between date of burn injury and first ReCell® application was 18 days (ranging 5-43 days). The number of ReCell® applications ranged from 1-4 per patient. Median time until wound was classified as healed was 81 days (ranging 39-573 days). The median maximum Vancouver scar scale measurement per patient at time healed was 8, ranging from 3-14. Five patients who received skin grafts had graft loss and three of these patients had graft loss from areas with ReCell®. CONCLUSION: ReCell® technology provides an additional method for wound coverage, either on its own or in conjunction with split thickness skin grafting, and is safe and effective in pediatric patients.

Evaluating effects of burn injury characteristics on quality of life in pediatric burn patients and caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric burn patients' and caregivers' quality of life (QoL), while identifying clinical characteristics correlated with psychological stress. METHODS: Pediatric burn patients at an ABA-verified institution from November 2019-January 2021 were included. Caregivers of patients 0-4 years completed the Infant's Dermatology QoL Index (IDQOL). Patients> 4-16 years completed the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). The Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT) measured caregivers' stress. Generalized linear mixed models evaluated associations between assessment scores and burn characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, 27.3% (39/143) of IDQOL and 53.1.% (41/96) of CDLQI scores indicated that patients' burns caused moderate to extremely large effects on QoL. In caregivers, 4.5% (7/159) scored> 14 on the SPRINT, warranting further PTSD evaluation. For the IDQOL, each additional 1% TBSA burn was associated with a 2.75-point increase (p = 0.05), and patients sustaining 2nd degree deep partial thickness burns scored an average of 3.3 points higher compared to 2nd degree superficial partial thickness burns (P < 0.01). CLDQI and SPRINT scores demonstrated a similar pattern. CONCLUSIONS: QoL is impacted in a substantial proportion of pediatric burn patients. Larger TBSA and increased burn depths cause significantly more psychological stress in children, and caregivers may require more extensive psychological evaluation.

DEMOGRAPHICS TO DEFINE PEDIATRIC BURN PATIENTS AT RISK OF ADVERSE OUTCOMES.

ABSTRACT: Background: There is currently no standard definition of a severe burn in the pediatric patient population to identify those at higher risk of infectious complications. Our aim was to correlate total burn surface area (TBSA), burn depth, and type of burn injury to nosocomial infection rates and systemic immune system responses to better define risk factors associated with adverse outcomes. Methods: A prospective observational study at a single-center, quaternary-care, American Burn Association-verified pediatric burn center was conducted from 2016 to 2021. Blood was collected within 72 h of injury from 103 pediatric patients. Whole blood was incubated with lipopolysaccharide or phytohemagglutinin stimulation reagent to measure innate and adaptive immune response, respectively. Flow cytometry was performed on whole blood samples to measure both innate and adaptive immune cells. Unstimulated plasma was also extracted, and IL-6 and IL-10 as well as soluble proteins B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator, CD27, and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 were quantified. Results: There was a significant increased risk for nosocomial infection in pediatric patients with TBSA burns of ≥20%, full-thickness burn injuries ≥5%, or flame burn injuries. There was an overall decrease in both innate and adaptive immune function in patients with TBSA burns ≥20% or full-thickness burn injuries ≥5%. Both burn injury characteristics were also associated with a significant increase in unstimulated IL-6 and IL-10 and soluble immunoregulatory checkpoint proteins. We observed a significant decrease in soluble B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator for those with a flame injury, but there were no other differences between flame injury and scald/contact burns in terms of innate and adaptive immune function. Conclusion: Burns with ≥20% TBSA or ≥5% full thickness in pediatric patients are associated with systemic immune dysfunction and increased risk of nosocomial infections.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Pediatric Burn Patients Without Inhalation Injury: A Unique Population?

Prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) before the initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with decreased survival. Pediatric burn patients without inhalational injury are a unique population as they may be intubated for longer durations due to frequent interventions such as dressing changes and burn excisions. This study utilized the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry and evaluated patients 0 to 18 years old placed on ECMO and with a burn injury from January 2010 to December 2020. Inhalation injury was excluded. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were performed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between mortality and precannulation MV duration before ECMO cannulation, and odds ratios and predicted probabilities of mortality were estimated. Our cohort of 47 patients had a median age of 2.7 years old. Mortality occurred in 48.9% of the cohort. The overall median number of days on ECMO was 6.3 days, with no difference between survivors and non-survivors (6.8 days vs 6.3 days; P = .67). Survivors were ventilated for 4.1 days and non-survivors for 4.8 days before cannulation (P = .25). Regression modeling demonstrated that with each additional day on MV before ECMO cannulation, the odds of mortality increases by 12% (P = .03). Our study suggests that, similar to pediatric patients without thermal injury, increasing precannulation MV duration is associated with an increasing risk of mortality in pediatric burn patients without inhalational injury. Though the pediatric burn population is unique, evaluation of burn patients with respiratory failure for ECMO should be similar to the general population.

Association of Pre-procedural Anxiety With Procedure-Related Pain During Outpatient Pediatric Burn Care: A Pilot Study.

The relationship between preprocedural anxiety and pain is not clear but has the potential to change the way pediatric patients need to be cared for prior to burn procedures. Using results from our recent randomized clinical trial among outpatient burn patients (n = 90) aged 6-17 years, the objective of this subsequent analysis was to assess whether preprocedural anxiety was associated with self-reported and researcher-observed pain scores. Anxiety before the dressing change was assessed using an abbreviated State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (range 6-21) and reported with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Self-reported pain was reported using a Visual Analog Scale (range 0-100) and observed pain was assessed using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability-revised scale. Over half of patients (58.9%) reported mild anxiety (score < 12) and about 5% of patients reported severe anxiety (score > 16). Younger children (6-8 years) reported higher anxiety scores than older children (15-17 years), but the difference did not achieve statistical significance (mean = 12.7, 95% CI: 11.5 to 13.9, P = .09). Nonparametric spearman correlation indicated that anxiety score was significantly correlated with observed pain (P = .01) and self-reported overall pain neared statistical significance (P = .06). In the final logistic regression of reporting moderate-to-severe pain (pain score > 30), the association between anxiety scores and self-reported overall moderate-to-severe pain was statistically significant (P = .03) when adjusting for race, healing degree, and pain medication use within 6 hr prior to burn dressing care. This pilot study provides preliminary data showing that anxiety before outpatient pediatric burn dressing changes is significantly associated with self-reported overall moderate-to-severe pain.

Dermal substrate application in the treatment of pediatric hand burns: clinical and functional outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Hand burn injuries are common among pediatric patients. Management of deep partial thickness and full thickness hand burns varies by center, with some favoring upfront autografting and others using dermal substrates (DS) as biologic dressings to accelerate burn wound healing. Achieving best outcomes is critical in children given the propensity of burn wound scars to affect hand function as a child grows and develops. Given potential complications associated with autografting in children, our center often prefers to treat pediatric hand burns initially with DS, with subsequent autografting if there is failure to heal. In this case series, we examined the outcomes of this practice. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of pediatric burn patients with <10% total body surface area (TBSA) burns who underwent application of DS to hand burn injuries between 2013 and 2021. Burn mechanism, patient demographics, wound treatment details, healing and functional outcomes, and complications were collected. Descriptive statistics were computed. RESULTS: Fifty patients with hand burns and overall <10% TBSA burns underwent application of DS to hands. Median age at the time of injury was 4.1 years (IQR: 1.8, 10.7) and 29 patients (58%) were male. Eighteen (36%) patients had bilateral hand burns, 10 (20%) had burns to their dominant hand, 6 (12%) their non-dominant hand, and 16 (32%) had unestablished or unknown hand dominance. Subsequent autografting was required in 5 (10%) patients treated initially with DS; four of these patients had full thickness injuries. Five (10%) patients developed contracture at the site of DS application for which two underwent scar release with tissue rearrangement, one underwent laser treatment, and two were managed conservatively. Most patients had splints (94%), or compression garments (54%) prescribed to aid in functional recovery. CONCLUSION: Children with hand burns who underwent DS application healed well with few requiring autografting or developing contractures. Most patients who needed autografting had deeper injuries. Most patients who developed a contracture required additional procedural intervention. Recognizing factors that contribute to the need for autografting after initial treatment with DS can help direct intervention decisions in pediatric patients with hand burn injuries.

Early detection of soluble CD27, BTLA, and TIM-3 predicts the development of nosocomial infection in pediatric burn patients.

Thermal injury induces concurrent inflammatory and immune dysfunction, which is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. However, these effects in the pediatric population are less studied and there is no standard method to identify those at risk for developing infections. Our goal was to better understand immune dysfunction and identify soluble protein markers following pediatric thermal injury. Further we wanted to determine which early inflammatory, soluble, or immune function markers are most predictive of the development of nosocomial infections (NI) after burn injury. We performed a prospective observational study at a single American Burn Association-verified Pediatric Burn Center. A total of 94 pediatric burn subjects were enrolled and twenty-three of those subjects developed a NI with a median time to diagnosis of 8 days. Whole blood samples, collected within the first 72 hours after injury, were used to compare various markers of inflammation, immune function, and soluble proteins between those who recovered without developing an infection and those who developed a NI after burn injury. Within the first three days of burn injury, innate and adaptive immune function markers (ex vivo lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha production capacity, and ex vivo phytohemagglutinin-induced interleukin-10 production capacity, respectively) were decreased for those subjects who developed a subsequent NI. Further analysis of soluble protein targets associated with these pathways displayed significant increases in soluble CD27, BTLA, and TIM-3 for those who developed a NI. Our findings indicate that suppression of both the innate and adaptive immune function occurs concurrently within the first 72 hours following pediatric thermal injury. At the same time, subjects who developed NI have increased soluble protein biomarkers. Soluble CD27, BTLA, and TIM-3 were highly predictive of the development of subsequent infectious complications. This study identifies early soluble protein makers that are predictive of infection in pediatric burn subjects. These findings should inform future immunomodulatory therapeutic studies.

Mobile phone virtual reality game for pediatric home burn dressing pain management: a randomized feasibility clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) gaming is considered a safe and effective alternative to standard pain alleviation in the hospital. This study addressed the potential effectiveness and feasibility of a VR game that was developed by our research team for repeated at-home burn dressing changes. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted among patients recruited from the outpatient burn clinic of a large American Burn Association-verified pediatric burn center between September 2019 and June 2021. We included English-speaking burn patients aged 5-17 years old requiring daily dressing changes for at least 1 week after first outpatient dressing change. One group played an interactive VR game during dressing changes, while the other utilized standard distraction techniques available in the home for up to a week. Both child and caretaker were asked to assess perceived pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS) of 0-10. For the VR group, patients were also asked to rate various aspects of the VR game on a NRS of 0-10 and caregivers were asked questions assessing ease of use. RESULTS: A total of 35 children were recruited for this study with 24 fully completing study measures. The majority of participants were male (n=19, 54.3%), White (n=29, 82.9%), and with second degree burns (n=32, 91.4%). Children and caregivers in the VR group reported less pain than the control group at the 4th dressing change. Participants in the VR group showed a clinically meaningful (≥30%) reduction in child-reported overall pain (33.3%) and caregiver-reported worst pain (31.6%) in comparison with subjects in the control group. Children's satisfaction with the VR remained at a high level across dressing changes over the 1-week period, with reported realism and engagement increasing over time. Over half of the children (54.5%) enjoyed playing the game and did not report any challenges nor any side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects found the VR to be a useful distraction during home dressing changes and reported no challenges/side effects. VR should be considered as a nonpharmacologic companion for pain management during at-home burn dressing changes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04548635. Registered September 14, 2020-retrospectively registered.

Length of Stay Per Total Body Surface Area Burn: A Validation Study Using the National Burn Registry.

A length of stay (LOS) of one day per percent total body surface area (TBSA) burn has been generally accepted but not validated in current pediatric burn studies. The primary objective of this study is to validate previous Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaboration (PIQIC) findings by using a national burn registry to evaluate LOS per TBSA burn relative to burn mechanism, sociodemographic characteristics, and clinical factors which influence this ratio. We evaluated patients 0-18 years old who sustained a burn injury and whose demographics were submitted to the National Burn Registry (NBR) dataset from July 2008 through June 2018. Mixed effects generalized additive regression models were performed to identify characteristics associated with the LOS per TBSA burn ratio. Among 51,561 pediatric burn patients, 45% were Non-Hispanic White, 58% were male, and median age was 3.0 years old (IQR: 1.0, 9.0). The most common burn mechanism was scald (55.9%). The median LOS per TBSA burn ratio across all cases was 0.9 (IQR: 0.4, 1.75). In adjusted models, scald burns had a mean predicted LOS per TBSA burn value of 1.2 while chemical burns had the highest ratio (4.8). Non-Hispanic White patients had lower LOS per TBSA burn ratios than all other races and ethnicities (p < .05). These data substantiate evidence on variance in LOS per TBSA burn relative to burn mechanism and race/ethnicity. Knowing these variations can guide expectations in hospital LOS for patients and families and help burn centers benchmark their clinical performance.

Measures of Adaptive Immune Function Predict the Risk of Nosocomial Infection in Pediatric Burn Patients.

Thermal injury results in changes in the inflammatory and innate immune response of pediatric patients. Plasma cytokines, cellular profiles, and reduction in innate immune function following burn injury have also been correlated to adverse outcomes (e.g., mortality and infectious complications). Changes in adaptive immune function following thermal injury are not as well characterized. Our goal was to better understand if adaptive immune dysfunction occurs early after pediatric thermal injury and is a risk factor for nosocomial infections (NIs). A prospective, longitudinal immune function observational study was performed at a single American Burn Association (ABA)-verified pediatric burn center. Eighty burn patients were enrolled with 20 developing NI, defined using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. We collected whole blood samples from pediatric burn patients within the first 72 hours from injury and between days 4 and 7, where applicable to analyze adaptive immune function. We compared immune function between burn patients who went on to develop NI and those that did not. Within the first 72 hours of injury, burn patients who developed NI had significantly lower absolute CD4+ lymphocyte counts and whole blood ex vivo phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) production capacity compared to those that did not develop infection. Further analysis using receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that PHA-induced IL-10 production capacity had the highest area under the curve. Our data demonstrate that early adaptive immune suppression occurs following pediatric thermal injury and PHA-induced IL-10 production capacity appears to be a predictor for the development of NI.

Defining Benchmarks in Pediatric Burn Care: Inception of the Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaborative.

Pediatric burn care is highly variable nationwide. Standardized quality and performance benchmarks are needed for guiding performance improvement within pediatric burn centers. A network of pediatric burn centers was established to develop and evaluate pediatric-specific best practices. A multi-disciplinary team including pediatric surgeons, nurses, advanced practice providers, pediatric intensivists, rehabilitation staff, and child psychologists from five pediatric burn centers established a collaborative to share and compare performance improvement data, evaluate outcomes, and exchange best care practices. In December 2016, the Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaborative (PIQIC) was established. PIQIC members chose quality improvement indicators, drafted and approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU), data use agreement (DUA) and charter, formalized the multidisciplinary membership, and established a steering committee. Since inception, PIQIC has conducted monthly teleconferences and biannual in-person or virtual group meetings. A centralized data repository has been established where data is collated and analyzed for benchmarking in a blinded fashion. PIQIC has shown the feasibility of multi-institutional data collection, implementation of performance improvement metrics, publication of research, and enhancement of aggregate and institution-specific pediatric burn care.

A 1% TBSA Chart Reduces Math Errors While Retaining Acceptable First-Estimate Accuracy.

Life-threatening and treatment-altering errors occur in estimates of the percentage of total body surface area burned (%TBSA burned) with unacceptable frequency. In response, numerous attempts have been made to improve the charts commonly used for %TBSA-burned estimation. Recent research shows that the largest errors in %TBSA-burned estimates probably come from sources other than inaccurate values in the charts. Here, we develop a taxonomy of the possible sources of error and their impact on %TBSA-burned estimates. Also, we observe that different caregivers have different estimation needs: First-responders require a rapid estimate with sufficient accuracy to enable them to begin care and determine patient transport options, while burn surgeons ordering skin grafts desire accuracy to the square centimeter, and can afford considerable time to attain that accuracy. These competing needs suggest that a one-tool-fits-all-caregivers approach is suboptimal. We therefore present a validated, simplified burn chart that minimizes one of the largest sources of random errors in %TBSA-burned estimates-simple calculation errors-while also being quick and requiring little training. NCHart-1 also enables simple consensus estimates, as well as separation of estimation subtasks across caregivers, leading to several potential improvements in mass casualty situations. Our results demonstrate that NCHart-1 possesses the accuracy necessary for first responders, while reliably producing results in less than 2 minutes. Of 76 healthcare professionals surveyed, a large majority indicated a preference for NCHart-1 over their previous methods for ease of both use and training. For clinical or commercial use of NCHart-1, please contact: tech.commercialization@nationwidechildrens.org.

Length of Stay per Total Body Surface Area Burn Relative to Mechanism: A Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaborative Study.

Studies on length of stay (LOS) per total body surface area (TBSA) burn in pediatric patients are often limited to single institutions and are grouped in ranges of TBSA burn which lacks specific detail to counsel patients and families. A LOS to TBSA burn ratio of 1 has been widely accepted but not validated with multi-institution data. The objective of this study is to describe the current relationship of LOS per TBSA burn and LOS per TBSA burn relative to burn mechanism with the use of multi-institutional data. Data from the Pediatric Injury Quality Improvement Collaborative (PIQIC) were obtained for patients across five pediatric burn centers from July 2018 to September 2020. LOS per TBSA burn ratios were calculated. Descriptive statistics and generalized linear regression which modeled characteristics associated with LOS per TBSA ratio are described. Among the 1267 pediatric burn patients, the most common mechanism was scald (64%), followed by contact (17%) and flame (13%). The average LOS/TBSA burn ratio across all cases was 1.2 (SD = 2.1). In adjusted models, scald burns and chemical burns had similar LOS/TBSA burn ratios of 0.8 and 0.9, respectively, whereas all other burns had a significantly higher LOS/TBSA burn ratio (p<0.0001). LOS/TBSA burn ratios were similar across races, although Hispanics had a slightly higher ratio at 1.4 days. These data establish a multi-institution LOS per TBSA ratio across PIQIC centers and demonstrate a significant variation in the LOS per TBSA burn relative to the burn mechanism sustained.

Development of the School-Aged Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (SA-LIBRE5-12) Profile: A Conceptual Framework.

Pediatric burn injuries can alter the trajectory of the survivor's entire life. Patient-centered outcome measures are helpful to assess unique physical and psychosocial needs and long-term recovery. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework to measure pediatric burn outcomes in survivors aged 5 to 12 years as a part of the School-Aged Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation Computer Adaptive Test (SA-LIBRE5-12 CAT) development. This study conducted a systematic literature review guided by the WHO International Classification of Functioning-Child and Youth and domains in the American Burn Association/Shriners Hospitals for Children Burn Outcomes Questionnaire5-18. Interviews with eight parents and seven clinicians were conducted to identify important domains in child recovery. One clinician focus group with four clinicians was completed to identify gaps in the preliminary framework, and semiweekly expert consensus meetings were conducted with three experts to solidify the framework. Qualitative data were analyzed by grounded theory methodology. Three major thematic outcome domains emerged: 1) Physical Functioning: fine motor and upper extremity, gross motor and lower extremity, pain, skin symptoms, sleep and fatigue, and physical resilience; 2) Psychological Functioning: cognitive, behavioral, emotional, resilience, and body image; and 3) Family and Social Functioning: family relationships, and parental satisfaction, school, peer relations, and community participation. The framework will be used to develop item banks for a CAT-based assessment of school-aged children's health and developmental outcomes, which will be designed for clinical and research use to optimize interventions, personalize care, and improve long-term health outcomes for burned children.