A Multi-institutional Study Evaluating Pediatric Burn Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Creator(s)

Christina M. Georgeades
Amelia T. Collings
Manzur Farazi
Mary E. Fallat
Peter C. Minneci
Thomas T. Sato
Karen Elizabeth Speck
Kyle Van Arendonk
Katherine J. Deans
Richard A. Falcone
David S. Foley
Jason D. Fraser, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Samir Gadepalli
Martin S. Keller
Meera Kotagal
Matthew P. Landman
Charles M. Leys
Troy A. Markel
Nathan Rubalcava
Shawn D. St Peter, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Katherine T. Flynn-O'Brien

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2-2023

Identifier

DOI: 10.1093/jbcr/irac118; PMCID: PMC9452075

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children were out of school due to Stay-at-Home Orders. The objective of this study was to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the incidence of burn injuries in children. Eight Level I Pediatric Trauma Centers participated in a retrospective study evaluating children("Control" cohort) were compared to patients injured after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic from March to September 2020 ("COVID" cohort). A total of 12,549 pediatric trauma patients were included, of which 916 patients had burn injuries. Burn injuries increased after the start of the pandemic (COVID 522/6711 [7.8%] vs Control 394/5838 [6.7%], P = .03). There were no significant differences in age, race, insurance status, burn severity, injury severity score, intent or location of injury, and occurrence on a weekday or weekend between cohorts. There was an increase in flame burns (COVID 140/522 [26.8%] vs Control 75/394 [19.0%], P = .01) and a decrease in contact burns (COVID 118/522 [22.6%] vs Control 112/394 [28.4%], P = .05). More patients were transferred from an outside institution (COVID 315/522 patients [60.3%] vs Control 208/394 patients [52.8%], P = .02), and intensive care unit length of stay increased (COVID median 3.5 days [interquartile range 2.0-11.0] vs Control median 3.0 days [interquartile range 1.0-4.0], P = .05). Pediatric burn injuries increased after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic despite Stay-at-Home Orders intended to optimize health and increase public safety.

Journal Title

J Burn Care Res

Volume

44

Issue

2

First Page

399

Last Page

407

MeSH Keywords

Child; Humans; Adolescent; Burns; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; Length of Stay; COVID-19

Keywords

Burns; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; Length of Stay; COVID-19

Recommended Citation

Georgeades CM, Collings AT, Farazi M, et al. A Multi-institutional Study Evaluating Pediatric Burn Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Burn Care Res. 2023;44(2):399-407. doi:10.1093/jbcr/irac118