Adherence to burn resuscitation guidelines reduces resuscitation fluids and mortality

In our province, regional recommendations for optimal fluid resuscitation were published in 2011 to improve the management of acute burn patients prior to transfer to a specialized burn center. The purpose of this study was to determine compliance with these provincial burn resuscitation guidelines and their subsequent impact on patient outcomes. A retrospective review of patients transferred to the provincial burn center after being initially managed at peripheral sites was performed from 2011 to 2019. Patients were included if their burn injury was greater than 20% TBSA and they were transferred within 24 hours postburn injury. Charts were reviewed for the amount of fluid patients received and resuscitation associated outcomes. A total of 72 patients met the inclusion criteria, 37 of which were treated in accordance with the 2011 guidelines. For patients that followed the 2011 provincial guidelines, they received on average 3.2 cc/kg/TBSA of fluid during the first 24 hours postburn injury. Significantly more fluids were given when guidelines were not followed with an average of 4.4 cc/kg/TBSA (P = .03). Mortality rates were found to be significantly lower during the primary admission with guidelines compliance (16.2% vs 2.7%, P = .04). No significant differences were found between the remaining evaluated complications including abdominal compartment syndrome (8.1% vs 2.7%) and need for escharotomy (35.2% vs 21.6%). The use of clinical practice guidelines decreased excess IV fluid administration in additional to decreasing mortality rates for patients initially assessed in peripheral low volume centers.