Factors Affecting The Healing of Burns

Burns are wounds. Wound healing is a complex process that can be affected by many factors. These factors may include:

The age of the patient: elderly patients have delayed wound healing due to the fact that the blood supply is decreased to some parts of the skin with the presence of relative hypoxia (decreased oxygen). Very young and the elderly may not be able to mount an effective inflammatory response due to immature cells and less efficient physiological functioning respectively. See burns in geriatrics, Burns in pediatrics.
Nutrition: nutrition plays an important factor in wound healing; patients who are malnourished have a decreased collagen formation. Wound healing requires protein synthesis therefore protein requirement increases in the presence of wound. Vitamins are also important for wound healing, vitamin C is important in collagen synthesis and in maintaining the immune function. Vitamin A is also important in promoting wound healing. zinc is important for wound healing as it’s deficiency may impair wound healing, elderly are more liable for zinc deficiency due to poor intake and absorption. Zinc is important for many enzymes involved in the repair of tissue. Iron is important in collagen synthesis. Copper is also important as it’s a co-factor for an enzyme called lysyl oxidase which is needed for cross linking of collagen molecules. See Nutrition and burns, Burns and fluid replacement.

Here is a research finding that could improve the recovery experience for pediatric patients who have suffered severe burns.

In mid-October, a study was released by researchers at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Missouri that says that fewer treatments are just as effective as the present standard of care given to children suffering from burns. The research was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

“Given the risk of infection, dressings for burn patients need to be changed once or twice a day. This experience can be traumatic, especially for a young child,” said Daniel Ostlie, M.D., director, Surgical Critical Care at Children’s Mercy and lead investigator of the study. “If we can reduce this trauma just the slightest bit by eliminating one of the topical applications – with no major implications for outcome – we can make a significant improvement in the patient recovery experience.”

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Articles Posted in Factors Affecting The Healing of Burns

Factors Affecting The Healing of Burns

Severe Burns Among Pediatrics Can Heal With Fewer Treatments, New Study Finds