Is Blood Transfusion a Trigger for Bloodstream Infections in the Pediatric Burn Intensive Care Unit?

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate potential triggers of bloodstream infections in pediatric patients admitted to burn intensive care units.
Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 70 pediatric patients, aged between 3 and 211 months, who were followed in the Burn Intensive Care Unit of our hospital over a five-year period between 2020 and 2024.
Results: The mean age of the 70 pediatric patients was 79±87 months. The causes of burns were flame in 34%, scalding with hot water in 54%, and electrical burns in 9% of cases. The majority of patients (83%, n=58) had partial-thickness burns. The most commonly affected body region was the trunk (12.96%), followed by the head and neck region (6.21%). Total body surface area (TBSA) burned, length of ICU stay, and number of surgical interventions were higher in the transfused group. The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) level was 8.61 g/dL, which increased to 8.97 g/dL post-transfusion. In total, 29 patients received an average of 6.67 units of erythrocyte suspension (ES) and 4.09 units of fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Blood cultures revealed coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in five patients and Acinetobacter baumannii in another five.
Conclusion: In pediatric patients (aged 0 to 215 months) followed in the Burn Intensive Care Unit, an increase in total body surface area (TBSA) burned is associated with longer ICU stays, a higher number of surgical interventions, increased transfusion of blood components, and a greater incidence of bloodstream infections.