Factors predicting burn unit length-of-stay

Abstract

Introduction: Burn patients’ mortality rate has decreased significantly, making it important to evaluate other outcomes, such as length-of-stay, which increases physical and psychological morbidity, risk of nosocomial infection, and financial costs. The objective of this study is to analyze the relevance of several factors in the Burn Unit length-of-stay. Material and Methods: 711 patients were included in this study, admitted between 2011 and 2020 to the Burn Unit at São José Hospital, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal. Collected data was analyzed using PSPP for Windows. Results: Patients included in the study were predominantly males, with a mean age of 54 years. The mean length of stay was 29 days. The factors that prolonged in-hospital stay were those related to the severity of the burn, the number of surgeries and the time elapsed until the first one, altered laboratory values in both hematologic and chemistry profile during the hospitalization, and the presence and number of documented infections. Conclusion: There are potentially modifiable factors that influence length-of-stay. Our study allows us to conclude that the time elapsed until the first surgical intervention and the presence and number of documented infections significantly prolong this outcome, and emphasis should be given to the implementation of measures that favor early surgical intervention and strict infection control.

Keywords

• burn units
• length of hospital stay
• hospital mortality
• graft survival
• plastic surgery procedures