References
The epidemiology of alcohol burns at a major burn centre in North China
Abstract
This study was designed to explore the epidemiological characteristics and potential preventive strategies of alcohol burns. In this five-year, retrospective study, 163 patients with alcohol burns (admitted from 1 January 2015 to 31 May 2020 were included. There was a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1, a mean age of 34.1±16.8 years, and a mean burn size of 13.3±13.7% total body surface area (TBSA). The number of patients with alcohol burns was similar year by year during the five-year period. Just over half of patients (n=84, 51.5%) sustained a third-degree burn injury, which was significantly associated with a longer hospital stay and the need for surgery. The most prevalent aetiology was cupping (n=49, 29.5%), followed by cooking hotpot (n=37, 22.7%). Of the patients, seven (4.29%) sustained injuries during experiments at school and one patient sustained injury when using alcohol spray for disinfection against COVID-19. The incidence of facial burn injury (n=105, 64.4%) was significantly higher than previously reported data (33.2%). The result of the study showed that cupping and hotpot were the main causes of alcohol burns in Beijing, which should be taken into consideration for prevention. It is necessary to strengthen safety management of classes at school where experiments are undertaken and to educate the general public on the proper means of disinfecting against COVID-19.
Burn injuries are a concern worldwide, with approximately 265,000 burn-related deaths every year.1 Severe burn injury may lead to prolonged hospital stay, in addition to the physical and psychological consequences, such as body image dissatisfaction, self-mutilation, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.2
Unlike other common diseases, burn injuries are usually caused by accidents3 and, therefore, prevention should be the first priority. Certain types of burns with different aetiologies may have specific epidemiological characteristics, which are the basic premise for prevention. It is therefore important to explore these epidemiological characteristics and identify the relevant risk factors.
Burns are a result of thermal, chemical or electrical injuries, among which flames cause the highest proportion of extensive burns, followed by scalds, electricity and chemicals.4
Alcohol is not only used as an alcoholic beverage closely related to people's daily life, but also as a fuel which is widely used in the catering industry, in chemical experiments and in medical disinfection. Particularly in China, the widely practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine and the country's culinary traditions require the use of alcohol, for example, in cupping therapy and in cooking hotpot. Alcohol is flammable, and its vapour when mixed with air can form explosive mixtures, which can cause combustion and explosion in the presence of open flames or high heat energy.1
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Journal of Wound Care's World Union of Wound Healing Supplement and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for healthcare professionals. To read more, please register today.