Abstract
Long-term scar formation is an important adverse consequence in children with burns, however, information regarding scar quality in the long-term is lacking. Therefore, we evaluated scar quality and its predictors in children with burns 5–7 years after injury. Parents of children with mild/intermediate burns (≤10% total body surface area burned), and of children with severe burns (>10% burned) completed the patient scale of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS 2.0) for their children's—in their opinion—worst scar 5–7 years post-burn. Outcomes and predictive factors of scar quality were studied, and, for children with severe burns, POSAS parent scores were compared with observer scores. We included 103 children with mild/intermediate burns and 28 with severe burns (response rate: 51%). Most children (87%) had scars that differed from normal skin, with most differences reported for colour, and least for pain. Except for colour, children with severe burns had significantly higher scores (difference 0–2 points) on all scar characteristics (representing poorer scar quality) compared with children with mild/intermediate burns. Parent POSAS scores were on average 2.0–2.6 points higher compared to observer scores. Number of surgeries predicted both the mean POSAS and the mean overall opinion of a scar. In conclusion, 5–7 years post-burn, the scar of the majority of children differed from normal skin, especially on the characteristic colour. The uncovered insights are useful in counselling of children and their parents on expectations of the final outcome of their (children's) scar(s), and help in further targeting scar prevention strategies for the individual child.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 951-960 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Wound Repair and Regeneration |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 16 Jun 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Members of the Burden of Burn Injuries Study Group include: Suzanne Polinder, Marianne K. Nieuwenhuis, Esther Middelkoop, Margriet E. van Baar, Juanita A. Haagsma. We also thank all participants for their collaboration and the Burden of Disease group (MM Stoop, AA Boekelaar, N Trommel, J Hiddingh, J Meijer and M Akkerman) and the Dutch Burn Repository group (A Boekelaar, A Pijpe, D Roodbergen, MM Stoop, PPM van Zuijlen, J Dokter, A van Es, CH van der Vlies, GIJM Beerthuizen, J Eshuis, J Hiddingh, SMHJ Scholten-Jaegers, ME van Baar, TM Haanstra, E Middelkoop, MK Nieuwenhuis, A Novin) for their cooperation, data collection and support. We thank the Dutch Burns Foundation Beverwijk (grant number: 19.106) for funding this research and Red Cross Hospital Beverwijk, Martini Hospital Groningen, and Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam for their support.
Funding Information:
Members of the Burden of Burn Injuries Study Group include: Suzanne Polinder, Marianne K. Nieuwenhuis, Esther Middelkoop, Margriet E. van Baar, Juanita A. Haagsma. We also thank all participants for their collaboration and the Burden of Disease group (MM Stoop, AA Boekelaar, N Trommel, J Hiddingh, J Meijer and M Akkerman) and the Dutch Burn Repository group (A Boekelaar, A Pijpe, D Roodbergen, MM Stoop, PPM van Zuijlen, J Dokter, A van Es, CH van der Vlies, GIJM Beerthuizen, J Eshuis, J Hiddingh, SMHJ Scholten‐Jaegers, ME van Baar, TM Haanstra, E Middelkoop, MK Nieuwenhuis, A Novin) for their cooperation, data collection and support. We thank the Dutch Burns Foundation Beverwijk (grant number: 19.106) for funding this research and Red Cross Hospital Beverwijk, Martini Hospital Groningen, and Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam for their support.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Wound Repair and Regeneration published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wound Healing Society.