Clinical Characteristics & Outcomes of burn patients with ARDS and sepsis vs patients with ARDS and without sepsis

Author(s):
Margarita Elloso; Marc Jeschke; Diana Tedesco

Background:

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can occur in burns. Burn patients are at risk of developing ARDS from inhalational injury, severe inflammatory response, prolonged ventilation or from infectious complications which can lead to prolonged hospital stay and mortality. Little is known about the characteristic and outcome of burn patients with sepsis and ARDS and patients with ARDS without sepsis. The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics and outcome of burn patients with sepsis and ARDS admitted to an ABA accredited burn centre.

Methods:

Methods: This retrospective analysis included n=99 burn patients with ARDS admitted to an American Burn Association verified burn center from 2007-2021. Demographics, ventilation days, length of stay and mortality were evaluated.

Results:

Results: We included 99 patients with ARDS. Average age for burn patients with ARDS and sepsis was 50 while burn patients with ARDS without sepsis was 51. Patients with ARDS and sepsis had larger TBSA burns which was 37 vs 23 for ARDS without sepsis.

Interestingly, overall mortality of burn patients with ARDS and sepsis was 18 while burn patients with ARDS without sepsis was 19. The average ventilation days for burn patients with ARDS and sepsis was 32 days while burn patients with ARDS without sepsis was 22 days. Of note is the average length of hospital stay for burn patients with ARDS and sepsis which was 64 days compared to burn patients with ARDS and no sepsis which was 42 days.

Conclusions:

Conclusions: Mortality was not different in burn patients with sepsis and ARDS compared to burn patients with ARDS without sepsis. However, average ventilation days and length of hospital stay in burn patients with sepsis is prolonged compared to burn patients with ARDS without sepsis.