title: [The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on the serum levels of cytokines in severely burned patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on the serum levels of cytokines in severely burned patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six burn patients were enrolled in the study and were randomly divided into 3 groups according to the rhGH dosage used, i.e. small (0.3 IU.kg(-1).d(-1), A), large (0.6 IU.kg(-1).d(-1), B) dose groups and control group (C, with normal saline). The rhGH was administered beginning from 3 postburn days (PBDs) and lasted for 20 days. The dynamic changes in the serum levels of TNFalpha, IL-6, IL-8 and LPS at different time points were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with those in C group, the serum levels of TNFalpha, IL-6 in A, B groups were decreased, especially in B group with earlier decrease and bigger range (P < 0.01). Simultaneously, the serum LPS level was decreased accordingly with evident positive correlation with the change in those cytokines (r = 0.9723, P < 0.01). But there was no obvious difference in serum IL-8 level among A, B and C groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rhGH might decrease the production of postburn inflammatory mediators, especially in higher dose in dose-dependent manner for some degree. The clinical application of rhGH might be a supplementary measure in preventing and ameliorating postburn SIRS and MODS in severely burned patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Guang Zhou Red Cross Hospital, 510220 Guangdong Province, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xilin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lizhen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Darong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019382:Human Growth Hormone