Plasma oxidative parameters and mortality in patients with severe burn injury.
OBJECTIVE
To determine xanthine oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter in survivors and nonsurvivors patients with severe burn injury.


METHODS
Prospective, comparative observational study in an intensive care unit, burn division, in a trauma hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-five consecutive patients who met the established criteria for severe burn injury (total burn surface area of more than 30%).


RESULTS
Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive species and protein carbonyls levels were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors at 0 and 6 h. Elevated xanthine oxidase activity at 0 h was associated with adverse outcome after burn injury. In contrast, plasma superoxide dismutase activity and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter did not differ significantly between nonsurvivors and survivors at any time point.


CONCLUSIONS
For the first time we demonstrate the value of oxidative parameters, namely thiobarbituric acid reactive species, protein carbonyls, and xanthine oxidase activity, in identifying burn patients with a poor prognosis. Whether these parameters are merely markers of clinical course, or whether they signal specific deleterious effects of oxidative stress during the burn injury remains to be elucidated.
Ritter
Cristiane
C
Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 anexo, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Andrades
Michael
M
Guerreiro
Márcio
M
Zavaschi
Leonardo
L
Gelain
Daniel Pens
DP
Souza
Luis Fernando
LF
Ribeiro
Cyntia A
CA
Clausell
Nadine
N
Menna-Barreto
Sérgio
S
Moreira
José Cláudio F
JC
Dal-Pizzol
Felipe
F
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D013858:Thiobarbiturates / Q000097:blood*; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; C029684:thiobarbituric acid