Evaluating Determinants of Length of Stay in Burn Care: Is One Day per 1% Total Burn Surface Area Still Accurate?

Background Despite advances in burn care, morbidity and mortality remain high. There is a large gap in research focusing on resource-limited Appalachian burn victims. Appalachia is unique in many different ways. The region is well known nationally for poor healthcare outcomes, household income below the national average, ranking high in addiction and drug use crisis, and characterized with a high prevalence of comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary artery disease, and obesity. To complicate this devastating imbalance, Cabell Huntington Hospital is the sole burn intensive care unit in the state of West Virginia, with only six beds available. It is crucial to understand the factors that prolong the length of stay (LOS), as LOS is a key indicator for healthcare resource utilization, especially in this resource-limited population. This study aims to identify factors that influence LOS among burn patients in Appalachia, focusing on demographic and clinical variables. Methodology A retrospective analysis was conducted among 748 patients between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2023. Demographic and clinical variables, including age, gender, COPD, DM, smoking history, inhalational injury, burn source, body mass index (BMI), total burn surface area (TBSA), and total ventilation duration (TVD), were collected. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of LOS. Statistical significance was set at p-values <0.05. Results Significant predictors of prolonged LOS included TVD (β = 1.25, p < 0.001), TBSA (β = 0.60, p < 0.001), inhalational injury (β = 6.02, p < 0.001), and burn source (thermal contact with metal: β = 10.68, p = 0.003). Discharge status (dead) was associated with shorter LOS (β = -17.09, p < 0.001). For every additional day of ventilation, LOS increased by approximately 1.25 days. Each percentage increase in TBSA contributed to a 0.6-day increase in LOS. Patients who died had a hospital stay approximately 17 days shorter than those who survived. The presence of inhalational injury extended the LOS by an average of six days. Age, gender, COPD, DM, BMI, and smoking history were not significantly associated with LOS. Conclusions Newer predictor models should be used to combine TBSA with other demographics, comorbidities, and burn factors, such as inhalation injury and TVD, to provide a more accurate LOS for patients, their loved ones, and caregivers. The rule that for every 1% TBSA burned LOS increases with one day does not hold in our population. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing burn care in resource-limited settings.