Decreasing the Likelihood of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome in Burn Injury with Early Antioxidant Treatment

Abstract

Major burn trauma initiates a cascade of physiological events that cause profound stress on the body, resulting in significant complications which often lead to death. An understanding of these events may afford earlier and more precise interventions which, in turn, may reduce these complications, thus, improving patient outcomes. Burn trauma is associated with numerous inflammatory events that result in the release of free radicals, which promote oxidative stress and subsequent tissue damage. These mass-inflammatory events affect the body systemically, leading to several detrimental responses including complement activation, excessive histamine release, decrease in blood pressure, release of reactive oxygen species, and ultimately multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). However, recent studies conducted on the use of antioxidants as a part of a burn treatment protocol have shown promising results. In this review, we will discuss the current research and advancements in the treatment of burn trauma with the use of antioxidants, and how the early administration of antioxidant can possibly reduce the risk of developing MODS.