title: Comparison of skin effects of immediate treatment modalities in experimentally induced hydrofluoric acid skin burns.
abstract: Hydrofluoric acid (HF) burns cause immediate damage and painful long-term sequellae. Traditionally, chelating agents have been used as the initial treatment for such burns. We have introduced epidermal growth factor (EGF) into an HF model to compare EGF with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) treatments; 40 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups. Each rat suffered a 6 × 4 cm(2) burn induced by 40% HF. Group 1 had no treatment, group 2 had saline injected beneath the burn, group 3 received magnesium sulphate injections, group 4 received calcium gluconate and group 5 received EGF. Specimens were evaluated via planimetry and biopsy at intervals of 4, 8, 24 and 72 hours. Fluid losses were significantly less in the Mg(2+) and EGF groups. The EGF group had the smallest burn area, least oedema, least polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) infiltration, most angiogenesis and highest fibroblast proliferation of any group (P < 0·005). EGF limited HF damage morphologically and histologically more effectively than Ca(2+) or Mg(2+). This finding indicates that HF treatment via growth factors may be an improvement over chelation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meltem K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Songur
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ovunc
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akdemir
authors.affiliation: Department Of Plastic, Reconstructive And Aesthetic Surgery, Joseph M. Still Burn and Reconstructive Center, Brandon, MS, USA.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lineaweaver
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Turker
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cavusoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozsarac
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aktug
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ecmel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Songur
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yigit O
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Tiftikcioglu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002125:Calcium Gluconate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; D002125:Calcium Gluconate
keywords: Burn; Calcium gluconate; Epidermal growth factor; Hydrofluoric acid; Magnesium sulphate