Could serum cytokines serve as predictors in outcome of thermal burn injuries

Abstract

Introduction: Thermal burns cause ample havoc to human beings. Multidisciplinary approach plays a pivotal role in reducing morbidity and mortality. Justifiably tailored intervention plays cardinal role to offset further systemic derangements. This study is undertaken to assess whether serum cytokines could serve as predictors in the outcome of thermal burn injuries. Materials and Methods: Prospective study was conducted in 30 patients during the period of January 2016 to December 2016. The use of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1B (IL-1B), interleukin-6 (IL-6) was quantitatively estimated on postburn day 4 and every 5 days thereafter. The proinflammatory cytokine levels were high in patients who had higher percentage total body surface area burns. Results: Temporal cytokine profiling revealed significant difference in the pattern of patients who survived with those who had a fatal outcome. Reduction in cytokine levels IL-1B, IL-6 in the survival group over the course of treatment and observation of incremental temporal expression in cytokine levels in the nonsurvival group indicate its recalcitrant nature on treatment and thereby dictate catastrophic outcome. Discussion: The local inflammation in thermal burns releases proinflammatory cytokines systemically which leads to progression in systemic inflammatory response syndrome which can prove detrimental. Conclusion: Temporal analysis of cytokines could serve as prediction analysis in the outcome of thermal burn injuries because this sequence goes awry with higher percentage of burn area. This could dictate morbidity and mortality which gain significance in the overall outcome of patient.