Neutrophil Count in Severe Burns Is Useful for Predicting Prognosis

• Published in: YONAGO ACTA MEDICA Vol. 66; no. 4; pp. 404 - 412
• Main Authors: Fukuda, Ryuto, Ueda, Takahiro, Okawara, Yusuke, Matsuda, Kenichi, Ogoshi, Tomofumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese; English
• Published: Japan Tottori University Medical Press 2023
• Subjects: extensive burns; simplified prognostic indicators; early injury
• ISSN: 0513-5710
• DOI: 10.33160/yam.2023.11.002

[ABSTRACT] [Background] Burn injuries, particularly extensive severe burns, often have a fatal prognosis. However, many prognostic predictors are based on changes in the clinical course of treatment, and no prognostic predictors can be estimated in the early phases of injury. Using the Burn Index (BI) for evaluations requires familiarity with daily burn treatment, such as being able to evaluate the change from a second degree burn to a third degree burn appropriately. We sought to find a simpler and more quantitative prognostic prediction index. [Methods] We hypothesized that, in addition to the current prognostic predictors, the number of neutrophils in severe burns may correlate with the prognosis, and analyzed its usefulness. The neutrophil and white blood cell counts were measured within 48 hours of injury in 35 burn patients who required inpatient treatment at our own institution. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the significant of differences between the Survivor and Non-survivor groups. [Results] Compared to the Survivor group, neutrophil (P=0.038) and white blood cell counts were increased significantly in the Non-survivor group (P=0.004). Neutrophil counts and white blood cell counts correlated positively with the length of hospital stay, total body surface area, Prognostic Burn Index (PBI), and BI. The BI and PBI correlated with patient prognosis, as did neutrophil and white blood cell counts. [Conclusion] These results suggested that neutrophil and white blood cell counts in the early phases of burn injuries might be another factor in the prognosis of burn patients in addition to the current predictors.