An aetiological survey of burns in abusers of various kinds of drugs admitted to the tabriz sina hospital burns ward in iran

Abstract

A five-year prospective study (March 2003-March 2008) of burn victims hospitalized in a major burns centre in Iran was conducted in order to survey the aetiology and outcome of burns in patients who were drug addicts. Three hundred and thirty patients addicted to drugs were identified and stratified by age, sex, burn size, presence or absence of inhalation injury, kinds of abuse agents, and cause of burn. The mean patient age was 27.9 yr, and the male:female ratio was 7.6:1. There were 60 deaths overall (18.18%), the majority (47) among patients with flame burns. The mortality rate was significantly higher in multi-drug abusers than in single-drug abusers. Except for burn incidence, there were no significant differences between males and females. The mean burn size, 30.9%, was significantly larger in non-survivors than in survivors (57.8% versus 27.8%; p < 0.001). Inhalation injuries were strongly associated with large burns, and were present in all flame-burn fatalities. Flame burns were the most common type of burns in drug-addicted patients: incorrect use of a lighter and match and falling onto a brazier were the most common causes of flames. There were 11 deaths related to electrical injuries. Large burn size was the strongest predictor of mortality followed by the presence of inhalation injury. The most common agent of abuse was opium, followed by heroin and hashish; there was no difference between males and females in relation to the type of agent of which abuse was made.