Endotoxemia in burn patients: levels of circulating endotoxins are related to burn size.
With use of a quantitative limulus assay, the levels of circulating endotoxins were examined in a population of burn patients with injuries covering 1% to 88% of the total body surface area (TBSA). In cases in which the injury was less than 20% TBSA, the increases in endotoxins were only 35% as compared with those of normal controls. As the extent of injury increased, the levels of endotoxins also increased: burns between 21% and 40% TBSA showed average increases of over 350% and burns in excess of 40% showed increases of 500%. The relationship between burn size and total endotoxin burden was significant (p = less than 0.01). Time-course studies indicated that in most cases, peak endotoxin levels occurred 3 to 4 days after injury. The data also showed that there was no relationship between the age of the patient and the extent of the endotoxin increase.
Winchurch
R A
RA
Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
Thupari
J N
JN
Munster
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D004731:Endotoxins