Ameliorative effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on burn-induced hepatic and metabolic derangements in rats

AIMS

The current study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a solo therapy in ameliorating both skin lesions and liver injury induced by cutaneous severe burn injury (SBI) in rats.

MAIN METHODS

In anesthetized male adult Wistar albino rats, 30 % total burn surface area and established hepatic injury was achieved via direct contact of each experimental animal's dorsum with heated metal rod (100 °C) for 10 s. On the next day following burn, human MSCs or mouse MSCs was administered locally around the burn site and intraperitonially (0.5 × 10⁶ cells/rat for each route) and outcomes were investigated at 4 and 14 days following burn induction.

KEY FINDINGS

Both types of MSCs significantly improved skin and liver histology, decreased liver enzymes, and ameliorated oxidative stress in hepatocytes of SBI-rats. Further, SBI-induced rises in hepatic apoptotic marker (caspase-3, Bax) and serum inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were reduced following either human or mouse MSC administration. In addition, MSCs augmented insulin receptor substrate-1, phosphorylated protein kinase-B (phospho-Akt), while alleviating serum glucose levels in SBI-rats. These previous effects persisted even at the 14-day time point.

SIGNIFICANCE

Following single administration, bone marrow-derived MSCs is capable of counteracting SBI-induced skin lesions as well as related hepatic complications, specifically via mitigating postburn hyperglycemia and hyperinflammation.

The experiences of 'significant others' supporting people with severe burn injury: An integrative literature review

BACKGROUND

Severe burn injury is a traumatic experience for both patients and their significant others. Although research has focused on the experience of people with burn injury, there is a paucity of research focusing on the experiences of the significant other. Significant others are frequently expected to advocate and make decisions on behalf of the patient, which may have an impact on their psychological wellbeing. An understanding of the experiences of significant others will inform strategies to better support their needs.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this integrative literature review was to critically examine research related to the experiences of significant others supporting a patient with a severe burn injury in the hospital.

METHODS

CINAHL Plus with Full Text (EBSCO), MEDLINE ALL (Ovid), Scopus, and APA PsycINFO were searched up to December 2019 for English language studies using search terms burns, significant other, ICU, and psychological impact. Records were independently screened and assessed for methodological quality, and the data were synthesised.

RESULTS

Nine articles were included in the review. Three used a quantitative approach, and six were qualitative studies. Three major themes were identified, namely, (i) psychological consequences and emotional trauma, (ii) redefining relationships, and (iii) coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

The review identified that significant others experience adverse psychological consequences including post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. The burn injury resulted in a redefining of relationships with others and particularly with the patient through this shared experience. Significant others found ways to adapt to stressors, including taking control of the situation and seeking greater involvement in the patient's care.

Incidence of risk factors for bloodstream infections in patients with major burns receiving intensive care: A retrospective single-center cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The objective was primarily to identify risk factors for bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by different pathogens.

METHODS

A retrospective single-center cohort study was performed on 472 burn patients with an abbreviated burn severity index (ABSI)≥3, a total burn surface area (TBSA)≥10%, and an ICU stay of at least 24h. Risk factors for different BSI pathogens were analyzed by competing risks regression model of Fine and Gray.

RESULTS

A total of 114 burn patients developed 171 episodes of BSIs caused by gram-negative bacteria (n=78;46%), gram-positive bacteria (n=69;40%), and fungi (n=24;14%) median after 14days (range, 1-164), 16days (range, 1-170), and 16days (range, 0-89), respectively. A total of 24/114 patients (21%) had fatal outcomes. Isolation of the most common bloodstream isolates Enterococcus sp. (n=26), followed by Candida sp. and Pseudomonas sp. (n=22 for both) was significantly associated with increased TBSA (p≤0.006) and ABSI (p<0.0001) and need for fasciotomy (p<0.01). The death risk of patients with MDR gram-negative bacteremia was significantly increased by a hazard ratio of 12.6 (95% CI:4.8-32.8; p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

A greater TBSA and ABSI were associated with a significantly higher incidence of BSIs caused by Pseudomonas sp., Enterococcus sp. and Candida sp.

Utilities of scrotal flap for reconstruction of penile skin defects after severe burn injury

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we aimed to present our experience of an effective two-stage surgical approach using scrotal skin flap for patients with penile skin defects following severe burn injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 17 patients with penile skin defects underwent scheduled two-stage reconstruction using scrotal skin flap from January 2004 to October 2016. Patients, who were selected as eligible candidates for scrotal flap, exhibited a wide range of indications, including iatrogenic injuries (e.g., diathermy treatment after circumcision), scalding, flame injuries and electrical burns. During the first stage, the denuded penis secondary to debridement was temporally embedded in scrotal skin flap through an intrascrotal tunnel created between the skin and darto's fascia. During the second stage, the skin around the penis was separated and divided from the scrotum after incising the scrotal skin at the ventral penile base. After a mean follow-up of 30 months, the reconstructed penises yielded satisfactory aesthetic outcomes and maintained erectile function.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 35 years (19-55 years), and the median follow-up was 30 months (12-60 months). No major perioperative complication occurred except for dehiscence of scrotal skin after 2nd stage in three patients, and split-thickness skin grafts were applied for recovery of scrotum. Of 17 cases, 15 patients (88.2%) were in satisfactory cosmetic appearance. All patients regained penile sensation and normal voiding function in standing position. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was used to assess sexual function, with 13 patients (76.5%) reported normal erectile function, while the rest 4 reported mild erectile dysfunction. With regards to intercourse satisfaction domain, encouraging results indicated a total of 17 patients resumed sexual intercourse after surgery. In overall satisfaction domain, 11/17 (64.7%) reported a satisfaction from "very" to "moderately" with their overall sex life and sexual relationship with their partners, while only one patient reported "moderately dissatisfied" with his overall sex life.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a series of particular cases, including rare iatrogenic injury (diathermy treatment after circumcision) and severe compound electrical injury. Meanwhile, we show our successful experience that scrotal skin flap could be used as an effective surgical alternative to cover severe burn injury wound in male genitalia. The scrotal flap, with higher anti-infection ability and flexible contexture, is available for recovering penile skin defects following severe burn injury resulting in good aesthetic and sexual outcomes.

Clinical differences between major burns patients deemed survivable and non-survivable on admission

INTRODUCTION

Despite advances in burn care, there is still a group of patients with serious burn injury who fail to respond to therapies or for whom active treatments are unsuccessful. As the demographic and causative factors of burn related mortality may differ between treating units and countries, we aimed to investigate clinical aspects of patients that die whose injuries are considered either survivable or non-survivable on admission.

METHODS

A retrospective 11-year medical record review (2000-2011) of patients admitted to the Victorian Adult Burns Service (VABS), Melbourne, Australia, with a fatal burn injury was undertaken. Patient characteristics such as age, gender, total body surface area (TBSA%) burned, type and site of burn, hospital length of stay, receipt of burn care treatments and when withdrawal of care (WOC) took place were identified using hospital databases. For the purposes of categorization, two categories of patients were defined retrospectively. 'Early WOC' patients were those for whom a decision was made within the first 24h following admission that a patient injury was likely non-survivable, or that survival was incompatible with a meaningful quality of life. 'Late WOC' patients were those patients for whom a decision was made within the first 24h following admission that a patient injury was survivable and potentially compatible with a meaningful quality of life.

RESULTS

In a study analyzing 70 patients, the average TBSA% burned in the 'Early WOC' group (n=43) was significantly higher with the 'Late WOC' cohort (n=27) (85% vs. 45%; p=0.001) compared. A higher incidence of accelerant use (60% vs. 35%; p=0.07) and facial burns (74% vs. 44%; p=0.02) was found in the 'Early WOC' patients. In the 'Late WOC' group, 92.6% of patients required mechanical ventilation and 78.6% of patients underwent operative intervention (median surgical time 9.25h, inter-quartile range 6.5-18.5).

CONCLUSION

A number of clinical differences in major burn patients can be observed at admission between patients for whom a decision is made as to whether an injury is survivable or non-survivable. These differences may influence the degree of therapeutic aggression or conservatism as determined by the treating clinical team. As a matter of maintaining standards amongst the burns community, reporting mortality data such as this may also provide a benchmark by which other burns units can assess their own data regarding end-of-life decision-making.

Predisposing factors for candidemia in patients with major burns

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in surgery and critical care, candidemia remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with extensive burns.

METHODS

A retrospective single-center cohort study was performed on 174 patients admitted to the Burn Intensive Care Unit of the General Hospital of Vienna (2007-2013). An AIC based model selection procedure for logistic regression models was utilized to identify factors associated with the presence of candidemia.

RESULTS

Twenty (11%) patients developed candidemia on median day 16 after ICU admission associated with an increased overall mortality (30% versus 10%). Statistical analysis identified the following factors associated with proven candidemia: younger age (years) odds ratio (OR):0.96, 95% confidence interval (95% CI):0.92-1.0, female gender (reference male) OR:5.03, 95% CI:1.25-24.9, gastrointestinal (GI) complications requiring surgery (reference no GI complication) OR:20.37, 95% CI:4.25-125.8, non-gastrointestinal thromboembolic complications (reference no thromboembolic complication) OR:17.3, 95% CI:2.57-170.4 and inhalation trauma (reference no inhalation trauma) OR:7.96, 95% CI:1.4-48.4.

CONCLUSIONS

Above-mentioned patient groups are at considerably high risk for candidemia and might benefit from a prophylactic antifungal therapy. Younger age as associated risk factor is likely to be the result of the fact that older patients with a great extent of burn body surface have a lower chance of survival compared to younger patients with a comparable TBSA.

12-month generic health status and psychological distress outcomes following an Australian natural disaster experience: 2009 Black Saturday Wildfires

OBJECTIVE

To describe the generic health status, health-related quality of life and psychological distress over a 12-month period of burns patients affected by the 2009 Black Saturday Wildfires.

DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Cohort study with retrospective assessment of pre-injury status and prospective assessment of physical and psychosocial functioning in the Black Saturday Wildfires burns patients across time. Generic health status and burn specific quality of life using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS) were collected at three, six and twelve months post-burn injury. In addition, similar time points were used to measure level of psychological distress and the presence of pain using the Kessler-10 questionnaire (K-10) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire.

RESULTS

At 12 months post-injury, patients reported a mean 16.4 (standard error, SE: 3.2) reduction in physical health and a 5.3 (SE 2.5) reduction in mental health scores of the SF-36 as compared to their pre-injury scores, with significant decreases observed in the "bodily pain", "physical functioning", "role physical" and "vitality" subscales. High levels of psychological distress and persistent pain were experienced, with no significant changes during the study period to the overall burns specific quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Even 12 months post-burn injury, patients affected by the 2009 Victorian Wildfires still experienced a significant reduction in generic health, increased psychological distress and persistent pain. The need for early and ongoing identification of physical and psychosocial impairments during hospital admission and upon discharge could be helpful to establish systematic interdisciplinary goals for long-term rehabilitation after severe burn injury.

Infection control in severely burned patients

In the last two decades, much progress has been made in the control of burn wound infection and nasocomial infections (NI) in severely burned patients. The continiually changing epidemiology is partially related to greater understanding of and improved techniques for burn patient management as well as effective hospital infection control measures. With the advent of antimicrobial chemotherapeutic agents, infection of the wound site is now not as common as, for example, urinary and blood stream infections. Universal application of early excision of burned tissues has made a substantial improvement in the control of wound-related infections in burns. Additionally, the development of new technologies in wound care have helped to decrease morbidity and mortality in severe burn victims. Many examples can be given of the successful control of wound infection, such as the application of an appropriate antibiotic solution to invasive wound infection sites with simultaneous vacuum-assisted closure, optimal preservation of viable tissues with waterjet debridement systems, edema and exudate controlling dressings impregnated with Ag (Silvercel, Aquacell-Ag). The burned patient is at high risk for NI. Invasive interventions including intravenous and urinary chateterization, and entubation pose a further risk of NIs. The use of newly designed antimicrobial impregnated chateters or silicone devices may help the control of infection in these immunocomprimised patients. Strict infection control practices (physical isolation in a private room, use of gloves and gowns during patient contact) and appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy guided by laboratory surveillance culture as well as routine microbial burn wound culture are essential to help reduce the incidance of infections due to antibiotic resistant microorganisms.