[Change of protein catabolism and immunocompetence in severely burned patients after operations and the therapeutic effect of recombinant human growth hormone].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes in protein catabolism and immunocompetence in severely burned patients after operations and observe the therapeutic effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in these patients.


METHODS
The changes in plasma protein concentration and immune function and the clinical results of 38 severely burned patients after three operations were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were assigned to GroupI(control, n=20) and GroupII (rhGH treatment, n=18), and matched for age, total body surface area (TBSA), surgical approaches and times, perioperative bleeding volume and nutrition support etc. The patients in groupII received intramuscular injection with 0.2-0.4 U/d x kg x b.w. rhGH after the first operation, till the healing of the wounds.


RESULTS
The concentration of retina-binding protein, transferrin, prealbumin, albumin, and IgG, the number of CD4 and CD8 cells, as well as the ratio of CD4/CD8 cells prior to the operation were below the normal levels in the two groups of patients. All these indexes in GroupII recovered to a great extent after three operations and were significantly higher than those in GroupI(P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Nutritious state and immunocompetence of patients with severe burns are severely compromised after operations, and nutrition support and rhGH treatment may produce rapid improvement of the patients' conditions.
Lai
Wen
W
Department of Burns, People's Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510080, China. laiwen@china.com
Chen
Hua-de
HD
Zheng
Shao-yi
SY
Gao
Hui
H
Xiong
Bing
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011506:Proteins; D013006:Growth Hormone