Admission Frailty Score Are Associated With Increased Risk of Acute Respiratory Failure and Mortality in Burn Patients 50 and Older

Herein, we assessed the utility of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale (CSHA-CFS) to predict burn-specific outcomes. We hypothesized that frail patients are at greater risk for burn-related complications and require increased healthcare support at discharge. Patients 50 years and older admitted to our institution for burn injuries between July 2009 and June 2019 were included. Demographics, comorbidities, pre-injury functional status, injury and hospitalization information, complications (graft loss, acute respiratory failure, and acute kidney disease [AKI]), mortality, and discharge disposition were collected. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between admission frailty scored using the CSHA-CFS and outcomes. P < .05 was considered significant. Eight-hundred fifty-one patients were included, 697 were not frail and 154 were frail. Controlling for Baux scores, sex, race, mechanism of injury, 2nd and 3rd degree burn surface, and inhalation injury, frailty was associated with acute respiratory failure (OR = 2.599 [1.460-4.628], P = .001) and with mortality (OR = 6.080 [2.316-15.958]; P < .001). Frailty was also associated with discharge to skilled nursing facility, rehabilitation, or long-term acute care facilities (OR = 3.135 [1.784-5.508], P < .001), and to hospice (OR = 8.694 [1.646-45.938], P = .011) when compared to home without healthcare services. Frailty is associated with increased risk of acute respiratory failure, mortality, and requiring increased healthcare support post-discharge. Our data suggest that frailty can be used as a tool to predict morbidity and mortality and for goals of care discussions for the burn patient.