Prior Organ Transplant Increases Risk of Wound Infection After Burn Injury: A National Database Study

Transplant recipients face unique challenges in burn injury management due to the use of immunosuppressive therapies, which increase susceptibility to infection, impair wound healing, and heighten the risk of drug-related toxicity. This study evaluates whether a history of organ transplantation serves as an independent risk factor for wound infection in burn patients. A retrospective case-control study was conducted for burn patients from the Burn Care Quality Platform Registry from 2013 to 2022. Patients with a history of organ transplant were identified, and a matched cohort of non-transplant patients was selected based on age and total body surface area burned. The data collected included demographics, injury characteristics, surgical interventions, and clinical outcomes. Of 106 967 burn patients, 50 with a history of organ transplantation were identified. Transplant patients had a significantly higher wound infection rate compared to non-transplant patients (26% vs 6%, P = .006). No significant differences were observed in hospital length of stay (P = .65), intensive care unit length of stay (P = .74), days on a ventilator (P = .77), number of surgical operations (P = .23), or mortality rates (P > .99). Burn patients with a history of organ transplantation are at a significantly higher risk of wound infection. Tailored management strategies may be necessary to mitigate infection risk and optimize outcomes in this vulnerable population.