Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Oxandrolone is a synthetic oral non-aromatizable testosterone derivative. This drug has been used successfully for several decades to safely treat growth delays in various diseases including Turner's syndrome. Currently the use of oxandrolone is under clinical testing in children with burn injury; the available data indicate that the anabolic steroid increases net muscle protein balance, maintains lean body mass, and reduces intensive care unit stay. ⋯ Multiple burn-induced inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IP-10, G-CSF, GM-CSF and interferon-γ) were significantly lower in the plasma of oxandrolone-treated animals after burn injury than in the plasma of controls subjected to burns. Finally, oxandrolone significantly accelerated burn wound healing. We conclude that oxandrolone improves organ function, modulates the systemic inflammatory response and accelerates wound healing in a murine model of burn injury.
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Observational Study
The association of patient and burn characteristics with itching and pain severity.
Itch after burn injury causes significant distress to patients and can hamper functional recovery. Itching can persist on a time scale ranging from several weeks to even years after injury. In this study, we sought to determine predictors of itching after burn injury. ⋯ Pain and itch after burn injuries are predicted by slightly different variables, presumably secondary to different underlying mechanisms. We conclude that age, sex (female), extent of burn injuries (total body surface area %), and injuries to the face/neck predict itching of greater severity. Patients with burn injuries that match these parameters would require greater care and closer follow up to reduce itching after healing.