Admission Pattern of Burn Patients of Various Aetiologies in the Burn Unit of a Tertiary Care Hospital in COVID-19 and Pre-COVID-19 Period: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Worldwide the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought with it many changes and challenges in the healthcare scenario. While restricted movement during the lockdown period had its effect in the reduction of outdoor burn incident such as industrial burn, overcrowding at residential units led to an increase in domestic burns.

Aim: To evaluate various changes in acute burns reflected in the admission pattern in a tertiary care hospital during pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 period.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective observational study conducted in the burn unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, from September 2018 to February 2020 (Pre-COVID-19) and March 2020 to August 2021 (COVID-19). Data of burns patients such as age, sex, aetiology of burn, mode of burn injury, percentage of body surface area involved, duration of hospital stay, number of patients undergoing surgical management, discharge, and death were reviewed and analysed using MS Excel and Z-test.

Results: There was a decrease in the admission rates in the COVID-19 period (462 v/s 317). Flame burn 43.51% v/s 48.26% (p=0.67); scald burn 38.10% v/s 41.01% (p=0.19); electric burn 15.8% v/s 4.73% (p=0.00001); chemical burn 2.59% v/s 5.99% (p=0.0173) for pre-COVID-19 v/s COVID-19 periods, respectively. The proportion of accidental burn injuries remained the same because of overcrowding at home (50.22% v/s 47.63%) (p=0.477) which was compensated by a decrease in workplace accidental burns during the lockdown period. The percentage of suicidal injuries had increased during the COVID-19 period (35.06% v/s 48.27%) (p=0.00022). The percentage of homicidal burn injuries had significantly reduced during COVID-19 time (14.72% v/s 4.1%) (p=0.00001). There was a statistically significant increase in the paediatric population of burn injuries during COVID-19 (35% v/s 62.7%) (p=0.00001).

Conclusion: Decrease in admission rates and comparable accidental flame and scald burn injuries and a drop in workplace burn injuries with women and children being the most vulnerable population.