Burns in patients with epilepsy: changes in epidemiology and implications for burn treatment and prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the epidemiology of burns in patients with epilepsy and to identify changes in epidemiology compared with previous studies; to identify further strategies that can be used in the primary and secondary prevention of such injuries in this group of patients.


METHODS
A retrospective case note review of 111 patient episodes to a regional burns unit where the admission criterion was a burn secondary to an epileptic seizure.


RESULTS
The majority (60 of 111) of burns were due to scald injury and were sustained in a domestic setting. This group of patients (mean age, 42.7 years) accounted for 1.6% of admissions during the study period. The data demonstrate a change in the epidemiology when compared with previous studies. Most burns were small (mean area burnt, 2.2%) but deep, and 72 of 111 patient episodes required surgery, and 12% of patients had reburn injuries requiring readmission.


CONCLUSIONS
Scald injuries are now the major cause of burns in those with epilepsy, and the proportion of such patients admitted to a regional burns unit has reduced. Patients and health professionals need to be aware of such injuries and of appropriate prevention strategies.
Josty
I C
IC
Welsh Regional Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
Narayanan
V
V
Dickson
W A
WA
D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002053:Burn Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries