Burns in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq: Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Death in Patients Admitted to Hospital

This retrospective study was undertaken to describe the epidemiology of burns in the province of Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan and investigate factors associated with mortality. Hospital records of all patients admitted to the Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre of Sulaymaniyah for a burn incident during the calendar year of 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 947 acute burn patients were admitted over the year (females 53.5%, males 46.5%) of whom 41% were aged 0 to 14 years. Flame injuries were responsible for 59% and scalds for 37% of injuries. The median TBSA burnt was 19%, the median length of hospital stay was 5 days, and in-hospital mortality rate was 28%. Multivariable logistic regression showed that burn size, inhalation injury, older age, and female sex were significant risk factors for death. The adjusted odds ratios were 4.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–20.0) for those aged 60 years or older compared with children aged 0 to 5 years; 2.2 (95% CI 1.2–4.1) for females compared with males; 9.8 (95% CI 4.8–20.0) for presence of inhalation injury; and 112.8 (95% CI 57.4–221.4) for ≥40% TBSA burnt compared with <40% TBSA burnt. Burn injuries are an important public health problem in Iraq, and further studies are required to investigate circumstances surrounding burns and risk factors to inform planning of prevention programs.