🔥 Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007)
This tool screens for burn sepsis using the American Burn Association 2007 consensus triggers, since severe burns produce a baseline systemic inflammatory state that makes standard SIRS/sepsis criteria unreliable.
Clinical takeaway
Because post-burn hypermetabolism mimics SIRS, the ABA created burn-specific triggers rather than relying on generic sepsis criteria; the final call remains a prospective team decision. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim)
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When to use
Use in the burn ICU to flag possible sepsis: ≥ 3 of the 6 triggers together with a confirmed or suspected infection prompts a sepsis workup and treatment.
How it works
Six triggers (temperature, progressive tachycardia, progressive tachypnea, thrombocytopenia after ≥ 3 days, hyperglycemia, enteral feeding intolerance). Sepsis = ≥ 3 triggers AND confirmed/suspected infection.
Key points
- Because post-burn hypermetabolism mimics SIRS, the ABA created burn-specific triggers rather than relying on generic sepsis criteria; the final call remains a prospective team decision. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim)
- Thrombocytopenia is counted only after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation, when early dilutional changes have settled.
- The triggers correlate only modestly with bacteremia, so a positive screen prompts a source search rather than confirming infection.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Temperature > 39°C or < 36.5°C | No |
|---|---|
| Progressive tachycardia > 110 bpm | No |
| Progressive tachypnea (non-ventilated > 25/min or ventilated minute ventilation > 12 L/min) | No |
| Platelets < 100,000/µL (after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation) | No |
| Hyperglycemia (non-diabetic: untreated glucose > 200 mg/dL or insulin ≥ 7 U/h or > 25%/24h increase in requirement) | No |
| Enteral feeding intolerance > 24 h (distension/residual 2× feeding rate/diarrhea > 2500 mL/d) | No |
| Confirmed or suspected infection present | No |
→Triggers met0/6
- Decision：< 3 triggers, continue monitoring, beware that post-burn hypermetabolism can mask infection
- Note：Severe burns are themselves a systemic inflammatory state, so traditional SIRS/sepsis criteria are unreliable; the ABA therefore created burn-specific triggers. This standard correlates only modestly with bacteremia, so the final judgment is a prospective clinical decision by the burn team
- Basis：Greenhalgh DG, et al. ABA Consensus to Define Sepsis and Infection in Burns. J Burn Care Res 2007
| Temperature > 39°C or < 36.5°C | Yes |
|---|---|
| Progressive tachycardia > 110 bpm | Yes |
| Progressive tachypnea (non-ventilated > 25/min or ventilated minute ventilation > 12 L/min) | Yes |
| Platelets < 100,000/µL (after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation) | Yes |
| Hyperglycemia (non-diabetic: untreated glucose > 200 mg/dL or insulin ≥ 7 U/h or > 25%/24h increase in requirement) | Yes |
| Enteral feeding intolerance > 24 h (distension/residual 2× feeding rate/diarrhea > 2500 mL/d) | Yes |
| Confirmed or suspected infection present | Yes |
→Triggers met6/6
- Decision：≥ 3 triggers AND confirmed/suspected infection → meets ABA burn sepsis; start sepsis workup and treatment (find the source, obtain cultures, empiric antimicrobials, resuscitation)
- Note：Severe burns are themselves a systemic inflammatory state, so traditional SIRS/sepsis criteria are unreliable; the ABA therefore created burn-specific triggers. This standard correlates only modestly with bacteremia, so the final judgment is a prospective clinical decision by the burn team
- Basis：Greenhalgh DG, et al. ABA Consensus to Define Sepsis and Infection in Burns. J Burn Care Res 2007
Frequently asked questions
- What is Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007)?
- This tool screens for burn sepsis using the American Burn Association 2007 consensus triggers, since severe burns produce a baseline systemic inflammatory state that makes standard SIRS/sepsis criteria unreliable.
- How is Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007) calculated? What is the core formula?
- Six triggers (temperature, progressive tachycardia, progressive tachypnea, thrombocytopenia after ≥ 3 days, hyperglycemia, enteral feeding intolerance). Sepsis = ≥ 3 triggers AND confirmed/suspected infection.
- When is Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007) used?
- Use in the burn ICU to flag possible sepsis: ≥ 3 of the 6 triggers together with a confirmed or suspected infection prompts a sepsis workup and treatment.
- What are the key clinical points for Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007)?
- Because post-burn hypermetabolism mimics SIRS, the ABA created burn-specific triggers rather than relying on generic sepsis criteria; the final call remains a prospective team decision. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim) Thrombocytopenia is counted only after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation, when early dilutional changes have settled. The triggers correlate only modestly with bacteremia, so a positive screen prompts a source search rather than confirming infection.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007)?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is Burn Sepsis Screening (ABA 2007) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Temperature > 39°C or < 36.5°C No, Progressive tachycardia > 110 bpm No, Progressive tachypnea (non-ventilated > 25/min or ventilated minute ventilation > 12 L/min) No, Platelets < 100,000/µL (after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation) No, Hyperglycemia (non-diabetic: untreated glucose > 200 mg/dL or insulin ≥ 7 U/h or > 25%/24h increase in requirement) No, Enteral feeding intolerance > 24 h (distension/residual 2× feeding rate/diarrhea > 2500 mL/d) No, Confirmed or suspected infection present No → Result: Triggers met 0/6（Decision: < 3 triggers, continue monitoring, beware that post-burn hypermetabolism can mask infection, Note: Severe burns are themselves a systemic inflammatory state, so traditional SIRS/sepsis criteria are unreliable; the ABA therefore created burn-specific triggers. This standard correlates only modestly with bacteremia, so the final judgment is a prospective clinical decision by the burn team, Basis: Greenhalgh DG, et al. ABA Consensus to Define Sepsis and Infection in Burns. J Burn Care Res 2007） Inputs: Temperature > 39°C or < 36.5°C Yes, Progressive tachycardia > 110 bpm Yes, Progressive tachypnea (non-ventilated > 25/min or ventilated minute ventilation > 12 L/min) Yes, Platelets < 100,000/µL (after ≥ 3 days of resuscitation) Yes, Hyperglycemia (non-diabetic: untreated glucose > 200 mg/dL or insulin ≥ 7 U/h or > 25%/24h increase in requirement) Yes, Enteral feeding intolerance > 24 h (distension/residual 2× feeding rate/diarrhea > 2500 mL/d) Yes, Confirmed or suspected infection present Yes → Result: Triggers met 6/6（Decision: ≥ 3 triggers AND confirmed/suspected infection → meets ABA burn sepsis; start sepsis workup and treatment (find the source, obtain cultures, empiric antimicrobials, resuscitation), Note: Severe burns are themselves a systemic inflammatory state, so traditional SIRS/sepsis criteria are unreliable; the ABA therefore created burn-specific triggers. This standard correlates only modestly with bacteremia, so the final judgment is a prospective clinical decision by the burn team, Basis: Greenhalgh DG, et al. ABA Consensus to Define Sepsis and Infection in Burns. J Burn Care Res 2007）