title: Functional Exercise Capacity in Children With Electrical Burns.
abstract: Electrical burns are a severe form of thermal injury extending deep into tissue. Here, we investigated the effect of electrical burns on metabolic rate, body composition, and aerobic capacity. We prospectively studied a cohort of 24 severely burned children. Twelve patients had a combination of electrical and flame burns and 12 matched controls had only flame burns. Endpoints were cardiopulmonary fitness (maximal oxygen consumption [VO2]), muscle strength (peak torque per body weight), body mass index, lean body mass index, and days of myoglobinemia (≥500 mg/dl). Demographics of both the groups were comparable. The electrical burn group had more days of myoglobinemia during acute hospitalization than the flame burn group (3.6 ± 1.8 days vs 0.3 ± 0.5 days, P < .0001). Maximal VO2 was significantly lower in the electrical burn group than in the flame burn group at intensive care unit discharge (27 ± 6 ml/kg/min vs 34 ± 5 ml/kg/min, P < .0014). Electrical burns are associated with myoglobinemia and decreased cardiopulmonary fitness.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston; †Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, Texas; ‡Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foncerrada
authors.forename: Karel D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Capek
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wurzer
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Herndon
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mlcak
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Oscar E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Suman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies