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Endotoxemia and complement activation after severe burn injuries-effects on leukocytes, soluble selectins, and inflammatory cytokines

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Abstract

In this study we followed the development of an inflammatory response in a group of patients the first week after a burn injury. We detected elevated plasma endotoxin levels, on at least one occasion, in 6 of 8 patients. No endotoxin was detected in the two patients with the lowest total burned surface area (≤30%). We found evidence of complement activation as increased C3a levels, in parallel with a production of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6). The TNF-α levels increased significantly during the observation period, while the IL-6 levels were elevated already at admission, and remained so. Elevated levels of soluble E-selectin were detected, indicating endothelial cell activation. Despite the inflammatory response and a loss of inflammatory cells during the first days of the monitoring period, we found no evidence of cellular activation measured as increased expression of β2 integrin CD11b, nor increased plasma levels of soluble L-selectin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm

    O. Ljunghusen & J. Lundahl

  2. Burn Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping

    H. Nettelblad

  3. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping

    F. Sjögren & O. Stendahl

  4. Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

    B. Nilsson

Authors
  1. O. Ljunghusen
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  2. J. Lundahl
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  4. B. Nilsson
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  5. F. Sjögren
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  6. O. Stendahl
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Ljunghusen, O., Lundahl, J., Nettelblad, H. et al. Endotoxemia and complement activation after severe burn injuries-effects on leukocytes, soluble selectins, and inflammatory cytokines. Inflammation 20, 229–241 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01488201

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