Effect of early excision of a burn wound on the activity of selected enzymes in pig serum

Abstract

Thermal stimuli acting on the skin can cause burn wounds. Clinical and experimental studies suggest a beneficial effect of the necrectomy of post burn necrosis in the hyperacute phase and in the acute phase (during the initial period of burn disease). Heat stroke causes hypovolemic shock and influences the energetic status of the liver, which is the main organ responsible for energy production and energy storage. Determination of the activity of indicator enzymes in serum makes it possible to assess the clinical condition of animals. A total of 25 White Large Landrace pigs of both sexes weighing 50 kg (± 2 kg) were used for the study. Burns were made with a software-controlled heating plate on a precisely defined contact surface of 1% of body surface. This resulted in a burn rate of 30% (± 2%) of the body surface with a lesion range between grades III and IIb. Animals from each experimental group were subjected to an infraclavicular necrectomy. Blood was collected and analyzed for AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK activities. In all groups, a statistically significant (p <0.05) increase in AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK activities was observed already 12 hours after the burn, and there was a very high correlation between the activities of parenchymal enzymes AlAT and AspAT. The study has shown an association between the moment of performing burn wound necrectomy and the activity of AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK.