Citation

Van Lieshout EM, Van Yperen DT, van Baar ME, Polinder S, Boersma D, Cardon AY, De Rijcke PA, Guijt M, Klem TM, Lansink KW, Ringburg AN, Staarink M, Van de Schoot L, Van der Veen AH, Van Eijck FC, Van Eerten PV, Vegt PA, Vos DI, Waleboer M, Verhofstad MH, van der Vlies CH. BMJ Open 2018; 8(11): e023709.

Affiliation

Burn Center, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023709

PMID

30446574

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The Emergency Management of Severe Burns (EMSB) referral criteria have been implemented for optimal triaging of burn patients. Admission to a burn centre is indicated for patients with severe burns or with specific characteristics like older age or comorbidities. Patients not meeting these criteria can also be treated in a hospital without burn centre. Limited information is available about the organisation of care and referral of these patients. The aims of this study are to determine the burn injury characteristics, treatment (costs), quality of life and scar quality of burn patients admitted to a hospital without dedicated burn centre. These data will subsequently be compared with data from patients with<10% total bodysurface area (TBSA) burned who are admitted (or secondarily referred) to a burn centre. If admissions were in agreement with the EMSB, referral criteria will also be determined.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this multicentre, prospective, observational study (cohort study), the following two groups of patients will be followed: 1) all patients (no age limit) admitted with burn-related injuries to a hospital without a dedicated burn centre in the Southwest Netherlands or Brabant Trauma Region and 2) all patients (no age limit) with<10% TBSA burned who are primarily admitted (or secondarily referred) to the burn centre of Maasstad Hospital. Data on the burn injury characteristics (primary outcome), EMSB compliance, treatment, treatment costs and outcome will be collected from the patients' medical files. At 3 weeks and at 3, 6 and 12 months after trauma, patients will be asked to complete the quality of life questionnaire (EuroQoL-5D), and the patient-reported part of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). At those time visits, the coordinating investigator or research assistant will complete the observer-reported part of the POSAS. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been exempted by the medical research ethics committee Erasmus MC (Rotterdam, The Netherlands). Each participant will provide written consent to participate and remain encoded during the study. The results of the study are planned to be published in an international, peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR6565.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Language: en

Keywords

epidemiology; health economics; organisation of health services; surgery; trauma management; wound management