Objectives: To describe early sequential profiling of circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF-1 and TNF-2 soluble receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2), and of endothelin (ET-1) in patients with severe burn injury, and its association with mortality.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Intensive Care Burn Unit at a community hospital.
Patients: Twenty patients with total burn surface area (TBSA)> or = 30%.
Interventions: None.
Measurements and results: Patients were enrolled within 6 h from the injury. Blood samples were drawn at zero, 6, 12, and 24 h for sequential ELISA measurement of plasma marker levels. Data are expressed as mean+/-SD. Age, TBSA, and inhalation injury were not significantly different between survivors ( n=9; 30+/-13 years, TBSA 40+/-12%) and nonsurvivors ( n=11, 38+/-15 years, TBSA 56+/-20%). sTNFR1 levels were increased in nonsurvivors (2937+/-1676 pg/ml; 4548+/-1436 pg/ml) as compared to survivors (1313+/-561 pg/ml; 2561+/-804 pg/ml) at 6 h and 24 h, respectively ( P=0.01 and 0.002). sTNFR2 levels were significantly increased in nonsurvivors (4617+/-1,876 pg/ml vs 2611+/-1,326 pg/ml) only at 6 h ( P=0.015). TNF-alpha and ET-1 levels were not different between nonsurvivors and survivors. After adjustment for TBSA, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 remained significantly higher in nonsurvivors.
Conclusion: Early and progressive increase in sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 levels is associated with higher risk for poor outcome in severely burned patients.