title: Evaluation of Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients who Attempted Suicide by Self-Inflicted Burn Using Catalyzer.
abstract: Our aim was to assess demographic and clinical characteristics of patients treated at our units who attempted suicide by self-incineration, and to compare the results of burns with or without catalyzer use. Twenty patients who attempted suicide by self-incineration were examined in terms of clinical and demographic characteristics. Average age of the study population was 35 years (range 13-85 years). Average percentage of total body surface area burn was 53% (9%-100%). Six (30%) patients used gasoline and 5 (25%) used paint thinner in order to catalyze burning. Of these 11 patients who used a catalyzer, 5 (45.4%) had inhalation injury and 7 (63.6%) died. Among 9 patients who did not use any catalyzer, 1 (11.1%) had inhalation injury and 4 (44.4%) died. In general, inhalation injury was diagnosed in 6 patients (30%) while 11 (55%) patients died. A high morbidity and mortality rate was found in patients who used a catalyzer.
authors.affiliation: Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Surgery and Burn and Fire Disasters Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yabanoglu
authors.forename: Huseyin Ozgur
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Aytac
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karagulle
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belli
authors.forename: Ayse Ebru
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sakallioglu
authors.forename: Mehmet Akin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tarim
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moray
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haberal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn; Catalyzer; Gasoline; Self-incineration; Self-inflicted burn; Suicide; Thinner