One-year epidemiological analysis of patients admitted to a hospital in northern Syria due to burn injuries.

Abstract

Burn injuries are among the leading causes of trauma-related morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-resource and conflict-affected regions. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical factors associated with short-term outcomes among burn patients treated in a war zone hospital in Northern Syria. This retrospective observational study included patients hospitalized for burn injuries between 15 April 2023 and 15 April 2024 at Çobanbey Hospital Burn Center. Demographic data, burn etiology, total body surface area (TBSA), burn degree, and clinical outcomes were extracted. Patients with incomplete records were excluded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify mortality predictors. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the predictive value of TBSA for mortality. A total of 522 patients were analyzed; 57.9% were male, and 53.3% were children under 10 years. Scald burns (53.6%) and second-degree burns (56.1%) were most common. Mortality was significantly associated with older age, chemical burns, TBSA >30%, third-degree burns, multi-region involvement, and intensive care unit admission. Multivariate analysis identified age, TBSA, and multi-zone burns as independent predictors of mortality. ROC analysis showed high predictive value of TBSA for mortality (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.941, P < .001). Age, burn severity, and extent (TBSA) are major predictors of mortality in burn patients, particularly in conflict-affected regions.