Analysis of the epidemiological profile of pediatric burn patients hospitalized in referral centers in the north, center and south of Chile: A multicenter study

Introduction: The epidemiological profile of burn patients is a useful tool when planning prevention and prioritization of resources. Objective: To describe and analyze differences in the epidemiological profile of hospitalized pediatric burn patients in reference centers throughout the country. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analytical multicenter study conducted in four burn units (one in the IV region, two in the Metropolitan Region, and one in the X region). We reviewed clinical records between January 2019 to December 2021. Variables included: Age, Gender, Etiology, Burned Body Surface Area (BSA), and Severity Index (SI). Incomplete records were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square test and ANOVA with p< 0.05. Results: 1,081 patients, 48 were from the North, 837 from the central region, and 196 from the South. We observed a decrease in the number of patients over the years. Gender: 56.24 % were male. Age: median of 1 year and a 75th percentile of 4 years. Etiology: 70.9 % were scalds. Scalds were more frequent in the North. In the South, there were more burns by hot objects, while in the central region, there were more electrical burns (p = 0.012). BSA: Median was 5 % (4-7.5 %), the distribution varied, p = 0.0007. SI: Median was 63 (61-68.5), with the North having a higher median. Conclusions: The epidemiological profile of pediatric burn patients is scald in male infants with a BSA less than 10 %. The main difference between profiles is the etiology. Towards the South, the frequency of scald decreases while hot objects increase. Level of evidence: level II - 3 of evidence