The aim of this study was to standardise reporting of burn wound infection in treatment trials, to facilitate evidence synthesis and the identification of effective treatments in burns. 

CACH team: Anna Davies, Amber Young

Cochrane reviewed investigating interventions for burns reporting that the indicators used to diagnose burn wound infection were variable or not described, indicating a need to standardise reporting. Without standardisation it was difficult to collate and examine research evidence to identify effective interventions for burn wound infections.

Burn wound infection was diagnosed by clinician judgement, informed by patient symptoms, clinical signs, blood tests and bacteria in the wound. Indicators for reporting burn wound infection should be important for diagnosis, frequently seen in patients, and assessed in routine healthcare.

We aimed to use a Delphi methodology to develop a minimum set of indictors of burn wound infection for reporting diagnosis in research, to facilitate evidence synthesis and identify effective treatments.

 This study was completed in 2020.