Cytokine response to burn injury : relationship with protein metabolism

Plasma levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and markers of protein metabolism were determined in 12 burn patients throughout the healing period (day 2 to 21 post-injury) to determine the pattern of variations in plasma cytokine concentration. To establish the relationship between cytokine production and the nutritional status a wide range of severity standpoints (burn surface area ranging from 9% to 82%) was chosen. Interleukin 6 levels were increased in all patients throughout the study period; maximum concentrations (615±198 pg/mL) were reached on day 4 and correlated (p<0.01) with the extent of burn injury