title: Association of postburn fatty acids and triglycerides with clinical outcome in severely burned children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Free fatty acids (FFAs) and triglycerides (TGs) are altered postburn, but whether these alterations are associated with postburn outcomes is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to analyze lipid metabolic profiles in pediatric burn patients and to correlate these profiles with patient outcomes and hospital courses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective cohort study at an academic pediatric hospital burn center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study included 219 pediatric burn patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were stratified according to their plasma TG and FFA levels. Main patient outcomes, such as postburn morbidity and mortality, and clinical metabolic markers were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All groups were similar in demographics and injury characteristics. Patients with elevated TGs had significantly worse clinical outcomes associated with increased acute-phase protein synthesis indicating augmented inflammation and hypermetabolism, whereas increased FFAs did not seem to profoundly alter postburn outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated TGs, but not FFAs, postburn are associated with worsened organ function and clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children and Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.forename: Celeste C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Finnerty
authors.forename: Yaeko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiyama
authors.forename: Marc G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Jeschke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides