Honey compared with silver sulphadiazine in the treatment of superficial partial-thickness burns.

Burn injury is associated with a high incidence of death and disability; yet, its management remains problematic and costly. We conducted this clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of honey in the treatment of superficial and partial-thickness burns covering less than 40% of body surface area and compared its results with those of silver sulphadiazine (SSD). In this randomised comparative clinical trial, carried out Burn Center of POF Hospital, Wah Cantt, Pakistan, from May 2007 to February 2008, 150 patients of all ages having similar types of superficial and partial-thickness burns at two sites on different parts of body were included. Each patient had one burn site treated with honey and one treated with topical SSD, randomly. The rate of re-epithelialization and healing of superficial and partial-thickness burns was significantly faster in the sites treated with honey than in the sites treated with SSD (13·47 ± 4·06 versus 15·62 ± 4·40 days, respectively: P < 0·0001). The site treated with honey healed completely in less than 21 days versus 24 days for the site treated with SSD. Six patients had positive culture for Pseudomonas aeroginsa in honey-treated site, whereas 27 patients had positive culture in SSD-treated site. The results clearly showed greater efficacy of honey over SSD cream for treating superficial and partial-thickness burns.

Anxiety and depression in burn patients.

BACKGROUND: The psychological aspects of burn injury have been researched in different parts of world producing different outcomes. Therefore objective of this research is to determine the frequency of Anxiety and Depression in burn patients. To assess the socio-demographic distribution of patients developing Anxiety and Depression and to determine the effects of burn related factors on development of Anxiety and Depression. METHODS: A Case series was conducted at the Department of Burn, Pakistan Ordinance Factory Hospital, Wah Cantt. for a duration of 12 months commencing from June 2007 and concluded in May 2008. The study population comprised of hospitalized patients with 1% to 50%, selected through non probable sampling technique who were assessed for Anxiety and Depression on fifteen day after burn injury. Testing protocol comprised of questionnaire having socio-demographic variables and burn related variables. Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory was applied to evaluate Anxiety and Depression in Burn patients. Descriptive statistics like mean with Standard Deviation was calculated for age. Frequencies along with percentages were calculated for socio-demographic variables. The frequencies and proportions were also calculated for presence and extent of severity of depression and anxiety in burn patients. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included in the study, thirty patients (60%) were male and 20 (40%) were females. The mean age of participants was 33.64 +/- 19 years. Majority of participants, 38 (76%) had sustained burn injury up to 25%. Flame was found to be most common agent of burn injuries affecting 19 (38%) patients. Depression was seen amongst 29 (58%) patients. Thirteen (26 %) patients had mild, 7 (14%) had moderate and 9 (18%) had severe Depressive symptoms. Anxiety was seen among 41 (82%) patients, thirteen (26%) patients had mild, 11 (22%) had moderate and 17 (34%) had severe Anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSION: Anxiety was present in 41 (82%) and Depression was present in 29 (58%) patients following burn injury. This study highlights the importance of the simultaneous evaluation and management of Anxiety and Depression in burn injured patients.

Presentation of burn injuries and their management outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the causes of burns and presentation of burn patients to POF Hospital and their overall management outcome. METHODS: A cross sectional study of 111 burn patients presenting primarily to and admitted in Pakistan Ordinance Factory (POF) Hospital from December 2004 to August 2005 were included in the study. Patients of any age, any degree of burns and both sexes were included. Patients presenting after more than one week post burn or patients referred from other hospitals were excluded. A detailed history and examination was done before treatment was started. For statistical analysis, patients were divided into different age groups. The place of acquiring burns, the causes and mechanisms of burns and overall management outcome was studied and results expressed as means and percentages. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 18.96 years, 37.8% of the patients were children less than 10 years of age (Group 1), 39.6% were males more than 10 years of age (Group II), and 22.5% were females more than 10 years of age (Group III). Overall, 55% of the patients were males and 45% were females. Mean total body surface area (TBSA) burnt was 11-20%. In group-I patients, the place of burns was their home. The burns occurred at home in 31.8% of Group II patients, and 96% of Group III patients. The place of burns was workplace in 61.3% of Group II patients, and only 4% of Group III patients. The mechanism of burn was scalding in 73.8% of Group I, flame burns in 40.9% of Group II patients and 72% of Group III patients. 25% of Group II patients got electrical burn. The overall mortality was 29.7%. CONCLUSION: The cause of burns was scalding at home in the majority of children less than ten years of age (Group I). Similarly the majority of group-II patients got burns at workplace in the form of either flame burns or electric burns. Many of the females more than ten years of age (Group III) got flame burns at home (suicidal, homicidal or accidental).