title: Serum phosphate level in burn patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite plasma phosphate imbalance being rare, it is a relatively common finding in certain subsets of burn patients. It may occur due to the burn itself or as a result of the treatment. Severe hypophosphataemia (<1.0 mg dl(-1)) is associated with a significant morbidity and a fourfold increase in mortality. In this study, the relation between serum phosphate level and the total body surface area (TBSA) of the burn was compared.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to the percentage of TBSA of the burn, the patients (n=155) were divided into three groups: group A with 20-29% TBSA burns, group B with 30-39% and group C with more than 40% TBSA burns (62, 48 and 45 patients, respectively). Analysis of variance (ANOVA)-repeated measure was used to detect any statistically significant difference in the three post-burn time-points of 3rd, 6th and 9th days and the mean score of the serum phosphate level between the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of hypophosphataemia at 9th post-burn day in the three groups was 6.1%, 32.4% and 73.5%, respectively. There were significant differences (p<0.05) between mean serum phosphate levels of groups A and C, B and C and A and B as well. We found significant differences between the three post-burn follow-up time stages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that hypophosphataemia, defined as mean serum phosphate levels below 3.0 mg dl(-1), was very common following burn, based on 75.6% of patients with more than 40% burn at the 3rd post-burn day. As the percentage of TBSA of burn increases, the incidence of hypophosphataemia significantly increases. We suggest that phosphate level be routinely measured after a major burn, especially in patients with a complicated course, so that appropriate replacement therapy may be started in a timely manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Imam Musa-Kazem Burn Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Kaveh Street, Isfahan, Iran. sh_loghmani@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Shahriar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loghmani
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Maracy
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kheirmand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017674:Hypophosphatemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates