The self-inflicted burns-Typology and its prognostic relevance in a 14-year review of self-inflicted burns in a tertiary referral centre.
Self-inflicted burns (SIB) are responsible for 2-6% of admissions to Burn Units in Europe and North America, and for as many as 25% of admissions in developing nations. Recently, a promising new tool was proposed to stratify SIB patients in the following subgroups: "typical", "delirious", and "reactive". However, as far as the authors know, the clinical usefulness of this instrument has not yet been validated by others. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 56 patients admitted to our Burn Unit with the diagnosis of SIB injury in the past 14 years. The following parameters were evaluated: demographic features; psychiatric illness; substance abuse; mechanism of injury; burn depth, total body surface area (TBSA) involved, Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI); length of hospital stay, and mortality. All patients were followed up by a psychologist and a psychiatrist, and were classified according to the SIB-Typology Tool, into three classes: "typical", "delirious" and "reactive". There was a slight predominance of the "typical" type (44.6%), followed by the "delirious" type (30.4%), and, finally the "reactive" type (25.0%). Mortality was significantly higher in the "typical" subgroup. In conclusion, the SIB-Typology Tool appears to be a valuable instrument in the clinical management of SIB patients.
Burn Unit and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, São José Hospital, Rua José António Serrano, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal.
Paula
P
Moniz
Diogo
D
Casal
Carlos
C
Mavioso
José
J
Videira-Castro
Maria
M
Angélica-Almeida
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult