Citation

Devine RA, Diltz Z, Hall MW, Thakkar RK. Int. J. Burns Trauma 2018; 8(1): 6-16.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nationwide Children's Burn Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital700 Children's Drive, Columbus 43205, OH.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, e-Century Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

29531854

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The immune response to critical injury, including thermal injury, can heavily influence the recovery and long term prognosis for patients suffering such insults. A growing body of evidence supports that a suppressed immunologic state following critical injury can lead to adverse outcomes for adult and pediatric patients.

METHODS: A Pubmed literature search was conducted to review areas of the immune system that are impaired after thermal injury and identify key immune players that are potential targets for therapeutic intervention. The focus was pediatric thermal injury; however, where pediatric studies were lacking adult studies were used as reference.

RESULTS: Changes in cytokine profiles and immune cell phenotypes have been observed following thermal injury. Treatment with immunomodulatory stimulants, including IL-7 and GM-CSF, lead to improved outcomes in critically ill patients and may also be useful tools to improve immune function in pediatric burn patients.

CONCLUSIONS: The innate and adaptive branches of the systemic immune system are impaired following thermal injury in adult and pediatric patients. Immunomodulatory therapies currently being used in areas outside of thermal injury may be useful tools to help improve outcomes following pediatric thermal injury.

Language: en

Keywords

Burn; immune function; immunomodulation; immunoparalysis; thermal injury