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Table 3 Determinants of blood transfusion

From: Determinants and time to blood transfusion among thermal burn patients admitted to Mulago Hospital

Variable

HR

p value

95% confidence interval

Multivariate analysis

Cause of burn

 Scalds

1.00

 Flame

0.880

0.850

0.234–3.304

Inhalation injury

 Absent

1.00

 Present

2.430

0.251

0.534–11.068

Sex

 Male

1.00

 Female

1.323

0.571

0.503–3.477

Percentage of body burnt

 <20

1.00

 >20

3.340

0.049

1.005–11.102

Pre-existing illness

 Yes

1.00

 No

0.103

0.046

0.011–0.959

Body mass index

 (18.5–25 kg/m2) normal

1.00

 Above normal

1.211

0.765

0.344–4.268

 Below normal

3.724

0.021

1.220–11.367

Ward

 ICU

1.00

 Holland

0.153

0.001

0.051–0.458

Low haemoglobin

 Yes

1.00

 No

0.695

0.644

0.149–3.240

Source of infection

 Yes

1.00

 No

0.808

0.746

0.223–2.928

Surgical procedures

 Yes

1.00

 No

0.509

0.246

0.163–1.594

Deranged WBC during admission

 Yes

1.00

 No

0.295

0.057

0.084–1.035

  1. From this table, the likelihood of transfusion were compared for different variables and expressed as hazard ratios. This was higher for patients who suffered inhalation injury, TBSA > 20%, low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2), patients admitted to the ICU, low Hemoglobin level, patients with features of infection and those that underwent surgery
  2. Despite the Hazard ratios, only patients with; percentage TBSA injured >20%, BMI below normal, pre-existing illnesses, abnormal white cell counts during admission and admission to the ICU showed statistical significance (p < 0.05)