Profile of Thyroid Hormones following Burn Injury

Profile of Thyroid Hormones following Burn Injury

Ikpe Vitalis, PhD, MNSBMB, FMLSCN, FCAI & Alumonah Emmanuel, PhD, FMLSCN

Department of Biochemistry

Caritas UniversityAmorji-Nike, Emene, Enugu, Nigeria

Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Email:ikpeforsuccess@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Burn injuries constitute a worldwide problem. Developments in burn management have decreased mortality rates in most technologically advanced countries. Such advances are not usually available in developing countries where the availability of the basic supplies, facilities and care-givers are the factors limiting adequate burn care. This coupled with lack of education; suspicion of Western medicine and hospitals makes burn care more challenging. Ninety burn patients (50 males and 40 females, aged 16-45 years, average 30 years) admitted to the Burn unit of a regional burn centre in Enugu, Nigeria, were Investigated for serum levels of Thyroxine(T₄), Triiodothyronine(T₃), Reverse Triiodothyronine (rT₃), Free thyroxine (FT₄), Free triiodothyronine (FT₃) and Thyroid Stimulating hormone (TSH). The patients were divided into 4 groups according to percent total body surface area (%TBSA) affected by the burn. Healthy individuals (16-45years) who had no burn were used as control. Blood collection started on the third postburn day at 2-day intervals for 3 weeks at the first instance and weekly for the next 9 weeks. The results revealed some biochemical Imbalance following burn Injuries. Serum concentrations of T₄, T₃, FT₃ and FT₄ were significantly decreased (P<0.05) while serum levels of rT₃ were markedly elevated.  Both FT₄ and FT₃ were significantly (p< 0.05) suppressed to levels indicative of biochemical hypothyroidism.

Keywords: Burns: Thyroid hormones: Imbalance