Document Detail


Case-controlled study of patients with self-inflicted burns.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15896510     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The main objectives of this study were to investigate whether patients with self-inflicted burns have larger burns, and a worse outcome, than patients with accidental burns. The secondary objective was to examine patient pre-injury characteristics to identify ways of preventing the burn occurring. A case-controlled study was performed: 36 deliberate self-burn patients were matched separately to two groups of accidental burn patients. The first group was used to compare burn severity. Patients were matched for age and sex; they were excluded if they had a psychiatric diagnosis, or a non-burn injury. The second group was used to compare outcome. The same matching and exclusion criteria were used as in the first group, with the addition of burn-size. Deliberate self-burn patients have significantly larger burns (p<0.01; median total body surface area (TBSA) 10% versus 1.5%) than accidental burn patients. They also stay in hospital longer, even when matched for burn-size (p<0.02; median stay 15 days versus 9 days). Self-inflicted burns occurred in supervised environments in 28% of cases. The number of deliberate self-burns could be reduced with simple interventions such as restricting smoking in hospitals and prisons, and also by identifying high-risk patients. The poor outcome from deliberate self-burns could be improved by well-coordinated multidisciplinary patient management with early psychiatric team involvement.
Authors:
B M Horner; H Ahmadi; R Mulholland; S R Myers; J Catalan
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2005-02-17
Journal Detail:
Title:  Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries     Volume:  31     ISSN:  0305-4179     ISO Abbreviation:  Burns     Publication Date:  2005 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-05-17     Completed Date:  2005-11-15     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8913178     Medline TA:  Burns     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  471-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, England. benhorner@doctors.org.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Accidents
Adult
Burns / pathology,  prevention & control,  psychology*
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
Length of Stay
London
Male
Mental Disorders / complications,  pathology,  therapy
Middle Aged
Prisoners
Risk Factors
Self-Injurious Behavior / pathology,  prevention & control,  psychology*
Smoking
Suicide, Attempted
Trauma Severity Indices

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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