TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - An unprecedented increase in burn injuries due to alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 outbreak JO - Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran A1 - Dahmardehei, Mostafa A1 - Khadem Rezaiyan, Majid A1 - Safarnejad, Farhang A1 - Ahmadabadi, Ali SP - e107 EP - e107 VL - 35 IS - N2 - BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, protective measures including alcohol-based hand rub, received unexampled popularity in Iran. Alcohol hand rub is effective, inexpensive and simple to use, but it is a flammable liquid, which might cause burn injuries. In this study, we investigated burn injuries due to alcohol hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 disease outbreak in Iran.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on burn patients referred to Motahari Burns and Reconstruction Center from February 20th, 2020 (official announcement of the epidemic of COVID-19 in Iran) up to April 19th, 2020. All outpatients and hospitalized burn injuries caused by alcohol during the abovementioned period were included.

RESULTS: There were 76 burn injuries due to the use of alcohol hand sanitizer. Sixty patients were treated outpatient, and 16 were hospitalized. The mean ± SD age of patients was 33.2±17.9 years and most were males (57 individuals, 75%). Also, the mean ± SD of TBSA was 6.1±6.5%. In hospitalized ones, the mean ± SD hospital stay was 11.7±8.6 days. The most burnt area was the head (39.5%) followed by the right upper limb (35.5%) and the left upper limb (23.7%). Patients were actively engaged in burn injury in 61.8% of cases, while they were passively burnt in 34.2% of cases and in 3.9% the mechanism was unknown. Burn injuries mostly happened in the yard (22.4%) followed by the rooftop (21.1%) and outdoors (18.4%).

CONCLUSION: Appropriate general education, especially through mass media, can reduce burns caused by alcohol-based sanitation during the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of these burn injuries involved face and hands, which are cosmetically and functionally important.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1016-1430 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.47176/mjiri.35.107 ID - ref1 ER -