Objective: To recognize common risk factors and high-risk groups in patients admitted in Imam Mousa Kazem Burn Hospital of Isfahan province in Iran in the year 2002.
Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of patients admitted to our hospital. Those patients who stayed for less than one day in hospital and patients who were admitted for plastic and reconstructive surgeries were excluded
Results: A total of 1085 patients were studied. Of these, 57% were male and 43% female. The mean of age was 21.8 years, mean total body surface area (TBSA) was 28.3% (males 24.6% and females 31.4%). Twenty-three percent patients were under 5-year age. The mean duration of hospital stay was 10.6 days. The most common cause of burns was scalds (28%) but adding all causes in the category of flame (Kerosene, gasoline, fire, gas), percentage reached 59.5%. A total of 15.7% patients died during the study and the most common cause was flame. Homes were the site of accident in 61% of burns, with remaining occurring outdoor places such as work and in industrial areas. The most common season for burn in this study was winter with 33.2% of all accidents.
Conclusion: Male patients under the age 0f 5 were commonest victims of burns of flame type. Most burns occurred at home during the winter and carried considerable mortality. These facts may help identify risk factors and groups with high risk for burns. (Rawal Medical Journal 2004;29: 13-17).
Key words: Burn-Epidemiology, Prevention, and Risk factor
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