American Burn Association consensus conference to define sepsis and infection in burns.
Because of their extensive wounds, burn patients are chronically exposed to inflammatory mediators. Thus, burn patients, by definition, already have "systemic inflammatory response syndrome." Current definitions for sepsis and infection have many criteria (fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, leukocytosis) that are routinely found in patients with extensive burns, making these current definitions less applicable to the burn population. Experts in burn care and research, all members of the American Burn Association, were asked to review the literature and prepare a potential definition on one topic related to sepsis or infection in burn patients. On January 20, 2007, the participants met in Tucson, Arizona to develop consensus for these definitions. After review of the definitions, a summary of the proceedings was prepared. The goal of the consensus conference was to develop and publish standardized definitions for sepsis and infection-related diagnoses in the burn population. Standardized definitions will improve the capability of performing more meaningful multicenter trials among burn centers.
Greenhalgh
David G
DG
Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis and Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.
Saffle
Jeffrey R
JR
Holmes
James H
JH
Gamelli
Richard L
RL
Palmieri
Tina L
TL
Horton
Jureta W
JW
Tompkins
Ronald G
RG
Traber
Daniel L
DL
Mozingo
David W
DW
Deitch
Edwin A
EA
Goodwin
Cleon W
CW
Herndon
David N
DN
Gallagher
James J
JJ
Sanford
Art P
AP
Jeng
James C
JC
Ahrenholz
David H
DH
Neely
Alice N
AN
O'Mara
Michael S
MS
Wolf
Steven E
SE
Purdue
Gary F
GF
Garner
Warren L
WL
Yowler
Charles J
CJ
Latenser
Barbara A
BA
D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000175:diagnosis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000175:diagnosis; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis