Serum immunoglobulin levels in pediatric burn patients

VARIABLES INFLUENCING THE DIFFERENTIAL HOST RESPONSE TO BURNS IN PEDIATRIC AND ADULT PATIENTS

ABSTRACT

Burn injury is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Although 40,000 pediatric patients in the United States are admitted to the hospital with burn wounds annually, significant differences exist in the management and treatment of these patients, even among highly specialized burn centers. Some aspects of pediatric burn research, such as metabolic changes and nutritional support after burn injury, have been studied extensively; however, in many aspects of burn care, pediatric research lags behind the study of adult populations. This review compares and contrasts a wide array of physiologic and immune responses between children and adults after burn injury. Such a review elucidates where robust research has been conducted, where adult research is applicable to pediatric patients, and where additional pediatric burn research needs to be conducted.

The Complexity of the Post-Burn Immune Response: An Overview of the Associated Local and Systemic Complications

Burn injury induces a complex inflammatory response, both locally and systemically, and is not yet completely unravelled and understood. In order to enable the development of accurate treatment options, it is of paramount importance to fully understand post-burn immunology. Research in the last decades describes insights into the prolonged and excessive inflammatory response that could exist after both severe and milder burn trauma and that this response differs from that of none-burn acute trauma. Persistent activity of complement, acute phase proteins and pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, changes in lymphocyte activity, activation of the stress response and infiltration of immune cells have all been related to post-burn local and systemic pathology. This "narrative" review explores the current state of knowledge, focusing on both the local and systemic immunology post-burn, and further questions how it is linked to the clinical outcome. Moreover, it illustrates the complexity of post-burn immunology and the existing gaps in knowledge on underlying mechanisms of burn pathology.

The Role of the Immune System in Pediatric Burns: A Systematic Review

Burns are one of the most common causes of home injuries, characterized by serious damage to the skin and causing the death of affected tissues. In this review, we intended to collect information on the pathophysiological effects of burns in pediatric patients, with particular emphasis on local and systemic responses. A total of 92 articles were included in the review, and the time range of the searched articles was from 2000 to 2021. The occurrence of thermal injuries is a problem that requires special attention in pediatric patients who are still developing. Their exposure to various burns may cause disturbances in the immune response, not only in the area of tissue damage itself but also by disrupting the systemic immune response. The aspect of immunological mechanisms in burns requires further research, and in particular, it is important to focus on younger patients as the existence of subtle differences in wound healing between adults and children may significantly influence the treatment of pediatric patients.

Blockade of IgM-Mediated Inflammation Alters Wound Progression in a Swine Model of Partial-Thickness Burn

In a mouse model, a second-degree burn elicits a severe inflammatory response that is mediated by circulating autoantibody specific for a neoantigen (nonmuscle myosin). Nonmuscle myosin is expressed by injured tissue, leading to amplified ulceration and scarring. We hypothesize that a synthetic peptide (N2) can mimic the neoantigen and competitively inhibit the autoantibody, decreasing inflammation, and reducing the extent of burn injury in a preclinical swine model of burn. Second-degree burns were created on young swine using brass cylinders, warmed to varying temperatures before skin contact. Animals were treated in double-blind fashion with normal saline, control peptide, or blocking peptide. Biopsies were taken at 2 hours, 1, 4, 7, and 14 days after burn injury. Burn wound healing parameters were assessed. Immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67, immunoglobulin (Ig)M, and interleukin (IL)-8 were also performed. N2 blocking peptide administration decreased dermal injury at 4 days with increased reepithelization, indicating more rapid healing. N2 normalized skin histology by 14 days and showed improved epidermal healing. Granulation tissue thickness was decreased, and there was an accompanying decrease in neutrophil infiltration. The basal layer of epidermis in N2-treated animals displayed more cells positive for Ki-67, suggesting a prompter regenerative capacity. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated decreased deposition of immunoglobulin M and interleukin-8 after thermal injury in animals treated with N2 peptide, in comparison to controls. The findings of this study identify N2 blocking a specific inflammatory pathway, as a novel therapeutic approach, preventing the evolution of cutaneous burn injuries in a preclinical animal model.

IgA Nephropathy with Pathologic Features of Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis following Burn Injury

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide, accounting for approximately 30-40% of patients undergoing renal biopsy in Asia. The characteristic and diagnostic lesion of IgAN is the deposition of glomerular IgA. The morphological lesions observed by light microscopy are extremely variable. A causal relationship between IgAN and burn injury has not been established, and the correlation between them is not clear if they appear at the same time. We have explored the cause of severe proteinuria of a Chinese patient with burns of 2nd or 3rd degree after a gas leakage accident 2 weeks ago. The diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis of this patient revealed type I membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis-like symptoms. Moreover, this patient showed a sensitive response to prednisone. This case report demonstrates the intrinsic relationship between kidney disease and burn injury, which will facilitate a feasible treatment strategy for proteinuria after burn injury.

Effects of lipid emulsions in parenteral nutrition of esophageal cancer surgical patients receiving enteral nutrition: a comparative analysis

Background: Olive oil-based lipid emulsion (LE) and medium chain triglyceride/long chain triglyceride (MCT/LCT) emulsion are both LEs with low ω-6 polyunsaturated fat acids (PUFAs) content. However, which one of these LEs is associated with a lower infection risk in patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) remains unclear. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of the two LEs in PN in esophageal cancer patients undergoing surgery. Methods: Patients with resectable esophageal carcinoma were recruited and allocated randomly to two groups. The test group was given enteral nutrition (EN) with PN containing olive oil-based LE after tumor resection for ≥7 days, and the patients in the control group were supported by EN with MCT/LCT emulsion-based PN after surgery for the same time period. Immunological markers and inflammatory indicators were tested and perioperative clinical outcomes were determined. The trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Register, number ChiCTR-TRC-13003562. 94 Patients were recruited, and grouped (olive oil-based LE, n = 46 and MCT/LCT, n = 48), matched for sex, age, body mass index, histological type, TNM stage, and nutrition risk screening (NRS) 2002 score. Results: There were no differences in perioperative fever (>38 °C), infectious complications, length of hospital stay (>14 days), length of critical care stay (>2 days), time for oral food intake, and in-hospital mortality between the two groups. The test group showed a higher increase in IgG level compared with the MCT/LCT group (p = 0.028). There was no difference in other immunological markers and inflammatory indicators between the two groups. Conclusion: PN containing olive oil-based or MCT/LCT LEs had similar effects on perioperative outcome, cell-mediated immune function and inflammatory response in esophageal cancer patients who had undergone surgery and were receiving EN.