title: Objective estimates of the risk factors for death and length of hospitalization following burn injuries, Soroka University Medical Center, 2001-2002.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Burn injuries are extremely common and may impose a serious load on public health around the world.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare mortality rates and length of hospitalization according to the identified risk factors, extent of burn, gender and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, data from 558 archive files of hospitalization due to burns as the diagnosis in patients of all ages, between the years 2001 and 2002, were analyzed to identify the risk factors for mortality and length of hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Males comprised 62.4% of the hospitalized burn patients. The mortality rate was 3.2% (n = 18) and among them 55.6% were women. Fifty percent of the fatality cases were over 48 years old, with statistically significant correlation of mortality rate and age. Most of the fatality cases (66.7%) had burns with total burn surface area (TBSA) larger than 40%. The multiple logistic regression model showed that leukocyte count on admission, TBSA, and age are the most important predictors of mortality. Smoke inhalation was not found to be an independent risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a statistical model for estimating the mortality rate, this study found that white blood cell count at admission, TBSA, and age were the most significant predictors of mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Noam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yanculovich
authors.forename: Zvi H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Reuven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gurfinkel
authors.forename: Lior
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D007902:Length of Stay; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult