Metabolic Science Metabolism encompasses all of the biochemical and biophysical reactions that maintain the organism-level energy homeostasis necessary for continued cellular life in response to ever-shifting environmental conditions. , Fully understanding the metabolic processes at work in living systems requires…
Introduction Acute, severe, exfoliative and necrotizing diseases of skin and underlying structures may cause significant morbidity and mortality in the afflicted patient. The problems associated with these diseases, such as wound infection, sepsis, inadequate nutrition, and pain, are similar to…
Introduction The quality of life in developed countries has improved over the past 50 years, increasing the average lifespan by nearly 30 years. Individuals aged 65 years and over account for 13% of the U.S. population. This “elderly” population is…
Introduction According to the National Burn Repository, burn injuries are responsible for 40,000 annual hospital admissions, of which one third are pediatric patients. Despite the steady decrease of burn injuries over the past three decades, children continue to represent a…
Introduction A severe burn elicits a stress response that initially assists the body in compensating for and adapting to a traumatic injury. There is an elevation in circulating concentrations of catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine alongside a concurrent increase…
Introduction The massive burn is as much a metabolic insult as it is a tissue injury. Clearly resultant tissue defects represent the critical factor in long-term functional complications from massive burns. In the acute phase of burn care, a persistent,…
Importance of Vitamins and Trace Elements Essential vitamins and trace elements, which are globally known as “micronutrients,” are fundamental to metabolism; they function as structures of enzymes or as their cofactors. Their requirements are influenced by the metabolic state and…
Introduction Each year, more than 8 million people are burned. Approximately 1 million sustain severe burn injuries covering more than 30% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Burns cause considerable morbidity and mortality; burn injuries are often complicated by…
Introduction The multitude of respiratory complications caused by smoke inhalation, flame burns, and their treatment epitomize the clinical challenges that confront health care workers. Smoke inhalation injury and its sequelae impose demands on the practitioners who play a central role…
Introduction and Epidemiology It has been more than three decades since Herndon and colleagues' first manuscript on inhalation injury was published. It was initially reported in 1985 that inhalation injury was a major determinant of mortality in severely burned patients.…