Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized with electrical burns: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized for electrical burns and examined factors associated with voltage level, burn depth, and clinical outcomes.Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 51 patients hospitalized for electrical burns from January 1, 2020, to August 1, 2024. We analyzed demographic data, injury mechanism, voltage level, burn depth, total body surface area (TBSA), Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) score, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) lengths of stay, surgical intervention, amputation, complications, and in-hospital mortality.Results: The median age was 36 years (interquartile range [IQR], 20–44), and 90.2% of patients were male. High-voltage injuries comprised 58.8% of cases. The median TBSA was 18% (IQR, 10–30), and the median ABSI score was 5 (IQR, 4–6). Surgical intervention was performed in 84.3% of patients. Amputation, complications, and in-hospital mortality occurred in 29.4%, 64.7%, and 3.9% of patients, respectively. Compared to the low-voltage group, high-voltage injuries were associated with significantly longer hospital and ICU stays, greater TBSA involvement, higher ABSI scores, and increased rates of fourth-degree burns, amputation, and complications (all p < 0.05).Conclusion: High-voltage electrical burns were associated with greater burn extent, higher ABSI scores, longer hospital and ICU stays, and higher rates of surgical intervention, amputation, and complications. These findings indicate greater clinical severity in high-voltage electrical injuries.