Research Paper: Predictive Value of Base Deficit, Serum Albumin, and C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio for Mortality in Severe Burn Patients

Siamak Rimaz, Ali Shabbak, Abbas Sedighinejad, Talat Kaviyani Jebeli, Parissa Bagheri Toolaroud, Ehsan Ghiasy Nick, Negin Rahimzadeh, Sanaz Masoumi

Abstract


Burn patients are at risk of serious complications, including sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and organ dysfunction, despite advancements in medical treatment. Early prediction and management of sepsis and acute inflammation and the identification of high-risk patients are crucial for the improvement of outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of serum albumin, base deficit, and C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) in severe burn patients. In a retrospective analysis of 195 patients with 20%-80% total body surface area (TBSA) burns admitted to the burn intensive care unit (ICU) at Velayat University Hospital from April 2018 to April 2021, serum albumin, base deficit, and CAR were measured upon admission. Significant differences were observed between survivors and non-survivors in terms of serum albumin levels (3.05SD0.56 vs. 1.89SD0.69 g/dL), base deficit (3.36SD2.15 vs. 10.62SD1.71 mmol/l), CRP (20.95SD29.33 vs. 54.62SD46.29 mg/L), CAR (7.73SD11.52 vs. 36.80SD35.59), and length of ICU stay (2.75SD2.51 vs. 6.45SD4.50) (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that unlike CRP, serum albumin levels (P=0.045), base deficit (P=0.001), and TBSA (P=0.046) were significantly associated with increased mortality. As evidenced by the obtained results, serum albumin, base deficit, and CAR are linked to adverse outcomes and may be valuable tools for risk stratification, identifying high-risk patients, and guiding early interventions in burn patients. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.


Keywords


Burns, C-reactive protein, Inflammation, Prognosis, Sepsis, Serum albumin

Full Text:

Full text

References


Mobayen M, Zarei R, Masoumi S, Shahrousvand M, Mazloum SMH, Ghaed Z, et al. Epidemiology of Childhood Burn: A 5-Year Retrospective Study in the Referral Burn Center of Northern Iran. Caspian Journal of Health Research. 2021;6(3):101-8. [DOI: 10.32598/CJHR.6.3.8]

Nielson CB, Duethman NC, Howard JM, Moncure M, Wood JG. Burns: pathophysiology of systemic complications and current management. Journal of Burn Care & Research. 2017;38(1):e469-e81. [DOI: 10.1097/BCR.0000000000000355]

World Health Organization (WHO). Burns [Internet]. 2018 [Updated 2018 March 6]. [Link]

Bandeira NG, Barroso MVV, Matos MAA, Filho AL, Figueredo AA, Gravina PR, et al. Serum albumin concentration on admission as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with burn injuries. Journal of Burn Care & Research. 2021;42(5):991-7. [DOI: 10.1093/jbcr/irab004]

Megahed M, El-Helbawy R, Gad S, Mansour M, Elkandary K. Base deficit, serum albumin level and blood haemoglobin concentration can be used as predictor factors for mortality in major burn patients. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters. 2020;33(3):209-15. [PMID: 33304211]

Robb L. Potential for Machine Learning in Burn Care J Burn Care Res. 2022;43(3):632–9. [DOI: 10.1093/jbcr/irab189]

Fuzaylov G, Fidkowski CW. Anesthetic considerations for major burn injury in pediatric patients. Pediatric Anesthesia. 2009;19(3):202-11. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2009.02924.x]

Bayir Y, Un H, Ugan RA, Akpinar E, Cadirci E, Calik I, et al. The effects of Beeswax, Olive oil and Butter impregnated bandage on burn wound healing. Burns. 2019;45(6):1410-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2018.03.004]

Lehnhardt M, Jafari HJ, Druecke D, Steinstraesser L, Steinau H, Klatte W, et al. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of protein loss in human burn wounds. Burns. 2005;31(2):159-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2004.08.015]

Gatta, A., Verardo, A. & Bolognesi, M. Hypoalbuminemia. Intern Emerg Med. 2012; 7:193-199. [DOI:101007/s11739-012-0802-0]

Tihista S, Echavarría E. Effect of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from fish oil in major burn patients: A prospective randomized controlled pilot trial. Clinical Nutrition. 2018;37(1):107-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2017.01.002]

Pielesz A, Biniaś D, Bobiński R, Sarna E, Paluch J, Waksmańska W. The role of topically applied l-ascorbic acid in ex-vivo examination of burn-injured human skin. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 2017;185:279-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2017.05.055]

Sheppard N, Hemington-Gorse S, Shelley OP, Philp B, Dziewulski P. Prognostic scoring systems in burns: a review. Burns. 2011;37(8):1288-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2011.07.017]

Jekarl DW, Lee S, Kim M, Kim Y, Woo SH, Lee WJ. Procalcitonin as a prognostic marker for sepsis based on SEPSIS‐3. J Clin Lab Anal. 2019;33(9):e22996. [DOI: 10.1002/jcla.22996]

Stanojcic M, Vinaik R, Jeschke MG. Status and challenges of predicting and diagnosing sepsis in burn patients. Surgical infections. 2018;19(2):168-75. [DOI: 10.1089/sur.2017.288]

Yu Y, Wu W, Dong Y, Li J. C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio Predicts Sepsis and Prognosis in Patients with Severe Burn Injury. Mediators Inflamm. 2021;2021:6621101. [DOI: 10.1155/2021/6621101]

Elbarbary M, Oganesyan A, Honda T, Morgan G, Guo Y, Guo Y, et al. Systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein) in older Chinese adults is associated with long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(6):3258. [DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063258]

Eschborn S, Weitkamp J-H. Procalcitonin versus C-reactive protein: review of kinetics and performance for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. J Perinatol. 2019;39(7):893-903. [DOI: 10.1038/s41372-019-0363-4]

Korkmaz HI, Krijnen PA, Ulrich MM, De Jong E, van Zuijlen PP, Niessen HW. The role of complement in the acute phase response after burns. Burns. 2017;43(7):1390-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2017.03.007]

Park JE, Chung KS, Song JH, Kim SY, Kim EY, Jung JY, et al. The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio as a predictor of mortality in critically ill patients. J Clin Med. 2018;7(10):333. [DOI: 10.3390/jcm7100333]

Bozkurt E, Muhafiz E, Sengul D, Uçak T, Atum M. Can the CRP/albumin Ratio be Used as a New Indicator of Activation in Patients with Uveitis? Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2021;29(5):1017-22. [DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1714061]

Bittner EA, Shank E, Woodson L, Martyn JJ. Acute and perioperative care of the burn-injured patient. Anesthesiology. 2015;122(2):448-64. [DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000000559]

Cummins G, Kremer J, Bernassau A, Brown A, Bridle HL, Schulze H, et al. Sensors for fetal hypoxia and metabolic acidosis: a review. Sensors. 2018;18(8):2648. [DOI: 10.3390/s18082648]

Gómez H, Mizock BA. Hyperlactatemia and lactic acidosis. Critical care nephrology: Elsevier; 2019; 394-404. e3. [DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-44942-7.00067-4]

Hopkins E, Sanvictores T, Sharma S. Physiology, acid base balance. StatPearls [Internet]: StatPearls Publishing; 2021. [Link]

Seifter JL, Chang H-Y. Disorders of acid-base balance: new perspectives. Kidney Diseases. 2016;2(4):170-86. [DOI: 10.1159/000453028]

Quade BN, Parker MD, Occhipinti R. The therapeutic importance of acid-base balance. Biochem Pharmacol. 2021;183:114278. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114278]

Aghakhani K. Epidemiology of Burn Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Motahari Hospital in Tehran (2008-2013). Sci J Med Organiz Islamic Republic of Iran. 2019;37(2):88-93. [Link]

Maghsoudi H, Pourzand A, Azarmir G. Etiology and outcome of burns in Tabriz, Iran an analysis of 2963 cases. Scand J Surg. 2005;94(1):77–81. [DOI: 10.1177/145749690509400118]

Brusselaers N, Monstrey S, Vogelaers D, Hoste E, Blot S. Severe burn injury in Europe: a systematic review of the incidence, etiology, morbidity, and mortality. Crit care. 2010;14(5):1–12. [DOI: 10.1186/cc9300]

Amir Alavi S, Mobayen M, Tolouei M, Noursalehi I, Gholipour A, Gholamalipour N. Epidemiology and outcome of burn injuries in burn patients in Guilan province, Iran. Qom Univ Med Sci J. 2013;7(5):35–41. [Link]

Rouzbahani R, Zamani A, Omranifard M, Rouzbahani A, FaragZadegan Z, Rezaei F. An Epidemiological study on Burned patients admitted to Imam Mousa Kazem hospital, Isfahan, 2003-2004. J Shahrekord Uuniversity Med Sci. 2005;7:1-10. [Link]

Güldoğan CE, Kendirci M, Gündoğdu E, Yastı AÇ. Analysis of factors associated with mortality in major burn patients. Turk J Surg. 2019;35(3):155. [DOI: 10.5152/turkjsurg.2018.4065]

Thombs B, Bresnick M. Mortality risk and length of stay associated with self-inflicted burn injury: evidence from a national sample of 30,382 adult patients. Crit Care Med. 2008;36(1):118–25. [DOI: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000293122.43433.72]

Ho W-s, Ying S. An epidemiological study of 1063 hospitalized burn patients in a tertiary burns centre in Hong Kong. Burns. 2001;27(2):119-23. [DOI: 10.1016/s0305-4179(00)00095-4]

Pavoni V, Gianesello L, Paparella L, Buoninsegni LT, Barboni E. Outcome predictors and quality of life of severe burn patients admitted to intensive care unit. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2010;18(1):1-8. [DOI: 10.1186/1757-7241-18-24]

Shupp JW, Pavlovich AR, Jeng JC, Pezzullo JC, Oetgen WJ, Jaskille AD, et al. Epidemiology of bloodstream infections in burn-injured patients: a review of the national burn repository. J Burn Care Res. 2010;31(4):521-8. [DOI: 10.1097/BCR.0b013e3181e4d5e7]

Aguayo-Becerra OA, Torres-Garibay C, Macías-Amezcua MD, Fuentes-Orozco C, Chávez-Tostado MdG, Andalón-Dueñas E, et al. Serum albumin level as a risk factor for mortality in burn patients. Clinics. 2013;68:940-5. [DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2013(07)09]

Kumar P, D'Souza J, Bhaskara K, Bharadwaj S. Serum protein level in conjunction with serum albumin/globulin ratio as an indicator of severity of changes in capillary permeability. Burns. 2003;29(6):628-9. [DOI: 10.1016/s0305-4179(03)00149-9]

Roham M, Fatemi MJ, Niazi M, Momeni M. Measuring the amount of serum albumin in burn patients and the relationship between the burned area and length of hospital stay. Tehran Univ Med J. 2017;75(5):387-92. [Link]

da Silva HV, Santos S, Silva N, Ribeiro F, Josua L, Moreira A. Nutritional assessment associated with length of inpatients' hospital stay. Nutricion hospitalaria. 2012;27(2):542-7. [DOI: 10.1590/S0212-16112012000200029]

Stratton RJ, King CL, Stroud MA, Jackson AA, Elia M. ‘Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool’predicts mortality and length of hospital stay in acutely ill elderly. Br J Nutr. 2006;95(2):325-30. [DOI: 10.1079/bjn20051622]

Fitzwater J, Purdue GF, Hunt JL, O’Keefe GE. The risk factors and time course of sepsis and organ dysfunction after burn trauma. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2003;54(5):959-66. [DOI: 10.1097/01.TA.0000029382.26295.AB]

Kreisberg RA. Lactate homeostasis and lactic acidosis. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92(2_Part_1):227-37. [DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-92-2-227]

Eggleston F, Feierabend T. The early acidosis of burns: its relationship to extent of burn and management. Surgery. 1975;77(5):641-7. [PMID: 1124508]

Cochran A, Edelman LS, Saffle JR, Morris SE. The relationship of serum lactate and base deficit in burn patients to mortality. Journal of burn care & research. 2007;28(2):231-40. [DOI: 10.1097/BCR.0B013E318031A1D1]

Lobo SM, Lobo FR, Bota DP, Lopes-Ferreira F, Soliman HM, Meélot C, et al. C-reactive protein levels correlate with mortality and organ failure in critically ill patients. Chest. 2003;123(6):2043-9. [DOI: 10.1378/chest.123.6.2043]

Barati M, Alinejad F, Bahar MA, Tabrisi MS, Shamshiri AR, Karimi H. Comparison of WBC, ESR, CRP and PCT serum levels in septic and non-septic burn cases. Burns. 2008;34(6):770-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2008.01.014]

Sepsis ABACCoB, Group I, Greenhalgh DG, Saffle JR, Holmes IV JH, Gamelli RL, et al. American Burn Association consensus conference to define sepsis and infection in burns. Journal of burn care & research. 2007;28(6):776-90. [DOI: 10.1097/BCR.0b013e3181599bc9]

Gülhan B, Kanık Yüksek S, Hayran M, Özkaya Parlakay A, Güney D, Akın Kağızmanlı G, et al. Infections in pediatric burn patients: an analysis of one hundred eighty-one patients. Surgical Infections. 2020;21(4):357-62. [DOI: 10.1089/sur.2019.010]

Maile R, Willis ML, Herring LE, Prevatte A, Mahung C, Cairns B, et al. Burn injury induces proinflammatory plasma extracellular vesicles that associate with length of hospital stay in women: CRP and SAA1 as potential prognostic indicators. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(18):10083. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810083]

Keller U. Nutritional Laboratory Markers in Malnutrition. J Clin Med. 2019;8(6). [DOI: 10.3390/jcm8060775]

Chen YF, Ma H, Perng CK, Liao WC, Shih YC, Lin CH, et al. Albumin supplementation may have limited effects on prolonged hypoalbuminemia in major burn patients: An outcome and prognostic factor analysis. J Chin Med Assoc. 2020;83(2):206-10. [DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000245]

Guo C, Zheng P, Chen S, Wei L, Fu X, Fu Y, et al. Association between the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and mortality in older Japanese patients with dysphagia. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024;11. [DOI:10.3389/fnut.2024.1370763]

Liu Y, Gao Y, Liang B, Liang Z. The prognostic value of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in patients with sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Aging Male. 2023;26(1):2261540. [DOI: 10.1080/13685538.2023.2261540]

Kalabin A, Mani VR, Valdivieso SC, Donaldson B. Does C reactive protein/Albumin ratio have prognostic value in patients with COVID-19. J Infect Dev Ctries. 2021;15(8):1086-93. [DOI: 10.3855/jidc.14826]

Lim T, Lee YJ. C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and risk of incident metabolic syndrome in community-dwelling adults: longitudinal findings over a 12-year follow-up period. Endocrine. 2024;86(1):156-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03875-4]

Zhang D, Yan H, Wei Y, Liu X, Zhuang Z, Dai W, et al. C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio Correlates With Disease Severity and Predicts Outcome in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Front Neurol. 2019;10. [DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01186]

Özcan S, Dönmez E, Yavuz Tuğrul S, Şahin İ, İnce O, Ziyrek M, et al. The Prognostic Value of C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio in Acute Pulmonary Embolism. Rev Invest Clin. 2022;74(2):097-103. [DOI: 10.24875/RIC.21000547]

Jang JH, Hong S, Ryu J-A. Prognostic Value of C-Reactive Protein and Albumin in Neurocritically Ill Patients with Acute Stroke. J Clin Med. 2022;11(17):5067. [DOI: 10.3390/jcm11175067]




DOI: https://doi.org/10.32592/10.32592/IJBWR.1.1.12

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Siamak Rimaz, Ali Shabbak, Abbas Sedighinejad, Talat Kaviyani Jebeli, Parissa Bagheri Toolaroud, Ehsan Ghiasy Nick, Negin Rahimzadeh, Sanaz Masoumi

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.