title: Burns in patients over 90: a fifteen-year series from a regional burns centre.
abstract: The elderly constitute an expanding subgroup within society, and may have differences in health needs compared to younger patients. The specific needs and outcomes of elderly patients with burns have been widely studied. However, the definition of elderly often used in previous studies is a cut off of 65 years old. Within this broadly defined group, the very elderly may have distinct health care needs and issues. This study investigated aetiology, management and outcome of burns in those over 90 years treated at a single UK burns service over a period of 15 years between 1998 and 2013, and compares these data to published data describing 'younger' elderly burns patients. Twenty two patients were included, with a 2:1 female:male ration, and a mean 9%TBSA burn. Six of the 22 died during their admission, and those who survived averaged 8 days inpatient stay per %TBSA. The very elderly with burns may fare worse than younger elderly patients. Although burns in the very elderly are relatively infrequent events, they require significant resource. Further work to optimise their outcome is required.
authors.affiliation: Pinderfields Hospital, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, Wakefield, United Kingdom. Electronic address: zakirshariff@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zakir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shariff
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jeremy N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Pinderfields Hospital, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, Wakefield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Umair
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.affiliation: Pinderfields Hospital, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, Wakefield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Orla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Pinderfields Hospital, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, Wakefield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phipps
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002053:Burn Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Burns; Outcome; Over 90