Ms Jane Elliott^1,2, Dr Lara Kimmel^1,2, Ms Heather Cleland^1,3, Prof Belinda Gabbe²

¹Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia, ²Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, ³Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract:
Background: Burn injuries lead to devastating physical and psychological morbidity. Advances in burn management have resulted in improved survival, therefore morbidity assessment is paramount.

Methods: A registry-based cohort study was undertaken using data collected by the Victorian State Trauma Registry. Adult major trauma cases with severe burn injury (≥20% total body surface area (TBSA)) admitted to hospital in Victoria (January 2007 – December 2013) were included. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the EuroQoL (EQ-5D), functional outcome (Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale – GOS-E) and ability to return to work (RTW) at 6, 12 and 24 months post-injury were analysed using mixed-effects modelling.

Results: For the 185 cases, mean (SD) age was 43 (18) years, 76% were male, 82% were caused by fire/flames, and 22% died in-hospital. Increasing age was associated with reduced adjusted odds of reporting no problems for all EQ-5D items – mobility (AOR 0.95; 95%CI 0.91, 0.99), self-care (AOR 0.92; 95%CI 0.87, 0.97), usual activities (AOR 0.95; 95%CI 0.91, 0.99), pain (AOR 0.94; 95%CI 0.91, 0.98) and anxiety (AOR 0.94; 95%CI 0.89, 0.99). Increasing age (AOR 0.94; 95%CI 0.90, 0.98) and compensable injury (AOR 0.06; 95%CI 0.01, 0.35) were associated with reduced adjusted odds of good functional recovery (GOS-E). Increasing %TBSA (≥40%TBSA: AOR 0.03; 95%CI <0.001, 0.78) and intentional event (AOR 0.003; 95%CI <0.001, 0.40) were predictive of reduced adjusted odds of RTW.

Conclusion: Patients continue to display problems with self-reported outcomes for years following burn injury. Measuring outcomes is necessary to optimise recovery for burn injured patients.

Biography:
Jane is the senior physiotherapist at the Victorian Adult Burns Service in Melbourne, Australia.