Lethal Area 50 in the burn patient at a referral center in Antioquia

Abstract

Introduction: Burns result in more than 180,000 deaths annually. Various indices exist to assess burn-related mortality. The lethal area 50 (LA50) index enables the evaluation and comparison of outcomes among different burn units. Objective: This study aimed to determine the LA50 within the burn unit of a reference hospital in Medellín, Colombia, between 2015 and 2019. It also aimed to identify trends over recent years and compare the findings with those reported by other healthcare facilities. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted including patients admitted to Hospital San Vicente Foundation between January 2015 and December 2019. Participants with burns exceeding 19% of the total burned body surface area were included. Data were analyzed both globally and in age subgroups. A probit model was used to calculate the LA50. Results: A total of 590 patients were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 30 years. Of these, 69.6% were male and 30.4% were female. The mean total body surface area burned was 33%, with flame being the most common injury mechanism (55%). The calculated LA50 was 68%. Subgroup analysis revealed LA50 values of 77.8% for patients aged 0 to 14 years, 71.8% for those aged 15 to 44 years, 60.4% for individuals aged 45 to 64 years, and 53.1% for patients over 65 years. Conclusions: The calculated LA50 of 68% is comparable to that reported by other internationally recognized centers. The LA50 varies according to age ranges, and there was no increasing trend observed over the years.

Keywords

• burns
• burn units
• mortality