Health-related quality of life after a severe burn : a prospective study

• Rationale: Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is defined as the impact an injury or illness has on quality of life, including the individual's perception of his or her injury or illness. The aim of this study was to investigate changes over time in HRQoL in burn-injured adults using the EQ-5D instrument. Methods: Participants were 88 consecutively included burn patients treated at the Uppsala University Hospital Burn Center. Their mean age was 43.3 (SD 15.5), total body surface area burned 24.4 (SD 19.8) and full-thickness burn 10.7 (SD 14.5). The participants completed the EQ-5D during hospitalisation, and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after injury. The EQ-5D includes five dimensions: Mobility, Self-care, Usual activities, Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression. Within each dimension there are three severity levels: no problems, moderate problems or severe problems. In addition the participants rate their health state on a VAS scale from 0 to 100. In a follow-up study the participants completed the EQ-5D in average 4.5 years after burn, with a range of 2–7 years. Pre- and post-burn psychiatric morbidity were assessed as well as burn characteristics. Results: The mean EQ utility index score improved on a group level from 0.15 at baseline to 0.72 at 24 months after the burn. In average 4.5 years after the burn the index score was 0.79. All scores were below the population norm. The VAS score improved from 48.3 at baseline to 72.5 at 24 months after burn. In spite of the fact that utility scores and VAS scores have improved more than half of the participants reported problems in the dimension Pain/Discomfort and one fifth reported problems in Usual Activities, in average 4.5 years after burn. Psychiatric morbidity pre- and post-burn as well as burn characteristics will be discussed. Conclusion: Burn injured adults have evident impairments in HRQoL even many years after burn. Most pronounced are problems in Pain/Discomfort and Usual Activities.

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