title: Apoptotic death in deep partial thickness burns vs. normal skin of burned patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deep partial thickness burns have an ambiguous behavior evolving either into spontaneous healing or full thickness burns. The aim of this study was to investigate these lesions for the presence of apoptosis thereby giving a possible cellular explanation to their peculiar clinical progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used colocalization of DNA fragments (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling) and Fas ligand CD95 antibodies to calculate the apoptotic rate of deep partial thickness burns and normal skin in 21 patients after acute thermal injuries (significant difference considered: P < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deep partial thickness burns were associated with a higher apoptotic rate than normal skin (48.15% +/- 17.22% versus 18.6% +/- 7.2%; P = 0.0002). There were no apparent significant correlations of apoptotic rate with age, days from injury, total burn surface area or deep burn area except for a slight correlation with sex (r = 0.484; P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A higher apoptotic rate was present in dermal cells of deep partial thickness burns if compared to that of the unburned skin. These data would suggest that deep partial thickness progression derive from apoptosis. Specific studies are required to confirm this hypothesis and to investigate its clinical and therapeutic significance.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. ggravante@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gianpiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gravante
authors.forename: Maria B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delogu
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santeusanio
authors.forename: Vincenzino
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Filingeri
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*