Retrospective analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of burn patients hospitalized at Samsun Training and Research Hospital Burn Center

Burn injuries are a serious public health problem that can cause high mortality and morbidity in the early period and permanent functional and aesthetic losses in the long term. This study retrospectively evaluates the epidemiological characteristics, clinical courses, complications, and mortality-related factors of 1,348 patients who were hospitalized and treated between 2019 and 2024 at the Burn Center of Samsun Training and Research Hospital, one of the reference centers located in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. Of the patients, 61% were male and 39% were female. Examination of age distribution showed that the 0–4 age group had the highest rate at 37.8%. A total of 29.5% of the cases were admitted during the summer months. The most common etiological cause was scald burns in children and flame burns in adults. When the total burn surface area (TBSA) affected by burns was examined, most cases were in the 0–9% (37.2%) and 10–19% (39.8%) ranges. In cases where TBSA exceeded 20%, complication and mortality rates increased significantly. The mean length of hospital stay was 15.1 days, intensive care requirement was 25.7%, and mechanical ventilation requirement was 15.9%. Among complications, infections ranked first. In wound culturepositive cases, the most frequently isolated microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (43.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii (19.9%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10.1%), and a significant portion of these pathogens showed multidrug-resistant profiles. The overall mortality rate was 4.8%. In patients who developed mortality, the mean TBSA, inhalation injury, pneumonia, sepsis, and acute kidney injury incidences were significantly higher. Among the scoring systems used to predict mortality in burn patients, the Revised Baux score (a practical mortality model based on age + TBSA + presence of inhalation injury) and the ABSI (Abbreviated Burn Severity Index) (a comprehensive index including parameters such as age, sex, TBSA, burn depth, and inhalation injury) showed high accuracy in predicting mortality in statistical analyses. In conclusion, this study represents one of the most comprehensive burn epidemiology analyses conducted in the Black Sea Region. The obtained data provide guidance for the development of regional strategies to prevent burns, early identification of high-risk patients, and optimization of intensive care and infection control measures. The findings also offer valuable reference information that will contribute to the establishment of a national burn database and the updating of clinical management protocols.