Epidemiology and mortality of burns in Tehran, Iran

In order to assist with the prevention of burn injuries the epidemiology of burns in Tehran was investigated. In a retrospective study, 1239 files of patients who were living in Tehran and were injured between March 1994 and March 1995 were studied. Sixty-three per cent of patients were male and 37 per cent were female (age range, 1 month to 93 years). The highest incidence of burns was in the 16–25 age group (30/100000). Patients with below 40 per cent of burned surface constituted 52.5 per cent of injuries. The most common cause of burns was kerosene accidents. The most common cause of burns in children was boiling water. In terms of social class the highest rate of burns was observed among illiterate people (burn rate (BR) 39/100000). The mean length of hospitalization was 12 days. Of the 1239 cases, 737 patients died. The mortality rate was 51 per cent in males and 69 per cent in females. The mean body surface area burned was higher in females. The mortality rate was higher and the length of hospitalization was shorter in comparison with other studies in other countries.