title: The extent of thermal injury affects fractions of mononuclear cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mononuclear cell (MNC) fraction contains a variety of cell types, including stem cells such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). EPC can rapidly revascularise ischaemic areas, but their role in burns is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates how thermal injury to the skin might influence mononuclear cells, CD34(+) cells and circulating EPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 17 people with burns and 17 age-matched controls. Blood samples were collected at five different time points during the first 5 days of hospitalisation. Clinical parameters and scores were documented as well as cell counts for MNC, CD34(+) cells and EPC. Counts were quantified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Serum was tested for vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF(165) by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cell populations displayed significant, differing changes in counts and percentages after burn. These effects varied markedly over time and expressed different patterns if clinical scores were subjected to significance testing. EPC counts were significantly lowered in cases with fatal outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burn affects the numbers of circulating MNC, CD34(+) and EPC. These time-dependent changes imply involvement of these cell groups in the trauma. EPC counts seem to be a predictive factor for outcome of cases of severe burn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Burn Unit, RWTH, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany. apiatkowski@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piatkowski
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gröger
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantel
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Paul Christian
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pallua
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A