OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO PROTEIN AND ALTERATIONS TO ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS IN HUMAN CUTANEOUS THERMAL-INJURY

Evidence that oxygen free radicals may be contributory to further tiss ue damage in the events following cutaneous thermal injury supports a role for interventional therapy using antioxidants. However, previous work has relied almost entirely on animal-based models with little cli nical information available. Also, methods used to support nil oxidati ve role in thermal injury have relied almost exclusively upon the use of lipid peroxidation studies. Further work substantiating a contribut ory role of free radicals is therefore required using additional metho dology before considering antioxidant therapy aimed at retarding tissu e damage. We investigated general oxidative damage to protein in burn blister fluid by quantifying the protein carbonyl levels from 11 patie nts admitted with superficial or partial thickness burns. Total antiox idant capacity tons also assessed, together with measurement of protei n and the antioxidants uric acid and bilirubin. Data were compared wit h values obtained for serum ill healthy volunteers. Following thermal injury, burn blister fluid protein carbonyl level was increased by alm ost 50 per cent (P = 0.005) compared with normal serum. Antioxidant sc avenging capacity, protein and bilirubin were all significantly reduce d, but uric acid unaltered compared with control values. Tile present data support a role for oxidative damage in cutaneous thermal injury. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI.