Epidemiology of severe burn injuries in a Tertiary Burn Centre in Tehran, Iran.

The aim of the study was to examine the epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized burn patients in a tertiary burn centre in Tehran, Iran. A hospital-based cross-sectional study of all hospitalized patients with burn injuries was conducted in Motahari Burn and Reconstruction Center in Tehran from August to December 2010. Medical records of all hospitalized burn patients were reviewed and pertinent information was captured. A total of 135 patients with severe burns requiring hospitalization were identified during the study period (68.9% males, mean age 33 yr). The most common cause of burns was flammable materials/ liquids (e.g. kerosene and gasoline) (56/135, 41.5%). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that sex (female) and total body surface area (TBSA) burned were the strongest predictors of survival in this cohort. Our findings showed that burn injury continued to be a significant public health problem in Iran, young people (26-35 yr) being the most affected. TBSA and sex (female) were found to be the most predictive factors of patient survival.