Citation

Spronk I, Polinder S, Van Loey NEE, van der Vlies CH, Pijpe A, Haagsma JA, van Baar ME. Burns 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: baarm@maasstadziekenhuis.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.burns.2019.03.017

PMID

31174971

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Burn injury can affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Knowledge concerning long-term HRQL in burn patients is limited. Therefore our aim was to evaluate long-term HRQL and to study predictors of impaired long-term HRQL.

METHODS: All adults with a length of stay (LOS) of ≥1 day (2011-2012) were invited. Also, adults with severe burns, i.e., >20% total body surface area (TBSA) burned or TBSA full thickness>5% (2010-2013) were invited. Participants completed the EuroQol(EQ)-5 D-5L + C and visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) 5-7 years after burns.

RESULTS: This study included 256 patients (mean %TBSA 10%); 187 patients with minor burns and 69 patients with severe burns. Mean EQ-5D summary was 0.90 and EQ-VAS 83.2 in the minor burn patients, and 0.79 and 78.1 in the severe burn patients. Some problems in at least one dimension were experienced by 81% of patients with severe burns and 45% of those with minor burns. However, a minority reported severe or extreme problems; 15% of those with severe burns and 6% of those with minor burns. Patients with severe burns reported significantly more problems, except for anxiety/depression. In both patient groups most problems were reported on pain/discomfort. Length of hospital stay, gender and age were associated with lower long-term HRQL (EQ-VAS) in multivariate analyses, whereas only length of stay was associated with a lower summary score.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients experienced some problems with HRQL 5-7 years post burn. This emphasizes that burns can have a negative impact on an individual's HRQL, particularly in more severely burned patients, that persists for years. The HRQL dimensions most frequently affected include pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Patients with a prolonged hospital stay, females and older patients are at higher risk of poor HRQL in the long-term.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Burn injuries; EQ-5D; Predictors; health-related quality of life; long-term outcomes