Transdermal Nicotine Application Attenuates Cardiac Dysfunction after Severe Thermal Injury.
BACKGROUND
Severe burn trauma leads to an immediate and strong inflammatory response inciting cardiac dysfunction that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine whether transdermal application of nicotine could influence the burn-induced cardiac dysfunction via its known immunomodulatory effects.


METHODS
A standardized rat burn model was used in 35 male Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental animals were divided into a control group, a burn trauma group, a burn trauma group with additional nicotine treatment, and a sham group with five experimental animals per group. The latter two groups received nicotine administration. Using microtip catheterization, functional parameters of the heart were assessed 12 or 24 hours after infliction of burn trauma.


RESULTS
Burn trauma led to significantly decreased blood pressure (BP) values whereas nicotine administration normalized BP. As expected, burn trauma also induced a significant deterioration of myocardial contractility and relaxation parameters. After application of nicotine these adverse effects were attenuated.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that transdermal nicotine administration has normalizing effects on burn-induced myocardial dysfunction parameters. Further research is warranted to gain insight in molecular mechanisms and pathways and to evaluate potential treatment options in humans.
Department of Orthopedics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Leif
L
Claassen
Department of Anesthesiology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Stephan
S
Papst
Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Kerstin
K
Reimers
Department of Orthopedics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Christina
C
Stukenborg-Colsman
Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany.
Lars
L
Steinstraesser
Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Peter M
PM
Vogt
Department of Molecular and Cell Physiology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
Theresia
T
Kraft
Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery, Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
Andreas D
AD
Niederbichler
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
D009538:Nicotine