Revision of the Frank Index for Predicting Death in Thermal Injury

Abstract

SUMMARY The index used in Russia to predict mortality in patients with burns, the Frank index, needs to be revised because it has a low prognostic value.TARGET Modify the Frank index to increase its predictive value for mortality.MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study included 307 patients with skin burns. We added the age of the patient to the Frank index (FI) formula and changed the score for inhalation trauma (IT). We compared the discriminatory power and predictive value of FI and the Revised Frank Index (RFI) using statistical analysis methods.RESULTS Adding the absolute number of years of the patient and 30 points for IT to the FI formula improved the discriminatory power and predictive value of RFI, which is calculated by the formula ∑ = Ssurface burns (% b.s. ) + 3*Ssurface burns (% b.s. ) + age (full years) + 30 (points for IT).CONCLUSION The predictive power of the revised Frank index is higher than the Frank index currently used. The threshold value of the revised Frank index, dividing the forecast into favorable and unfavorable, is score 130.