Characterization of Burn Patients at a Level IV Referral Institution in Barranquilla, Colombia: A 5-Year Analysis

Background: Burn injuries represent a major public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Colombia, regional epidemiological data remain limited, restricting the development of evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies. Methods: This descriptive, observational, retrospective study included 526 patients with burn injuries treated at a level IV referral institution in Barranquilla, Colombia, between November 2018 and November 2023. Sociodemographic, clinical, and outcome variables were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0. Associations with in-hospital mortality were assessed using the Fisher exact test and univariable logistic regression. Statistical significance was defined as P <0.05. Results: The mean patient age was 24.6±21.0 years, and males accounted for 61.8% of the cohort. Scald injuries were the most common mechanism (54.8%), with children younger than 5 years comprising 25.5% of all patients. Major burns were identified in 30.2% of patients. The mean total body surface area burned (TBSA) was 11.7±13.0% (median: 7.0%). Surgical debridement and/or escharotomy were performed in 59.7% of cases, and reconstructive coverage was required in 34.2%. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8.4% (n=44). On univariable analysis, the factors most strongly associated with mortality were major burns [odds ratio ( OR ), 13.13; 95% CI: 5.94-29.03; P <0.001], ICU admission ( OR =12.74; 95% CI: 4.49-36.16; P <0.001), and bronchoscopically confirmed airway injury ( OR =35.48; 95% CI: 9.02-139.56; P <0.001). Endotracheal intubation was strongly associated with death (35 of 43 intubated patients died), but the association could not be reliably quantified because of near-complete separation. The most frequently documented complications were sepsis (8.2%), pneumonia (3.6%), and documented bacteremia (2.5%); the case-fatality rate among patients with sepsis was 41.9%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the microorganism most commonly isolated from tissue cultures. Conclusions: Major burns, airway injury, and ICU admission were the factors most strongly associated with in-hospital mortality in this cohort. The substantial surgical burden underscores the need to strengthen specialized burn-care capacity in the Colombian Caribbean region. Targeted prevention strategies for pediatric and working-age populations, along with national epidemiological surveillance systems, are urgently needed.