Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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Fibreoptic bronchoscopy has been recently introduced to our practice, its value in the diagnosis and management of respiratory tract burns has been well established. The aim of the prospective study was to ascertain whether, in our routine clinical practice, a correlation could be shown between clinical and bronchoscopic diagnosis. The outcome of the study could support a rationale for introduction of this tool in other centers in Poland. ⋯ Based on our findings we concluded that fibreoptic bronchoscopy was shown to be a useful method in our routine clinical practice to confirm diagnosis and treatment of inhalation burns. The high agreement between the clinical suspicion of inhalation injury and the incidence confirmed by bronchoscopy and biopsies, suggest that the clinical indicators we use are reliable. We noted that performing fibreoptic bronchoscopy in patients with acute breathing insufficiency, who are intubated and require high concentrations of oxygen, is not recommended.
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Multicenter Study
Reproducibility of repeated measurements with the Kikuhime pressure sensor under pressure garments in burn scar treatment.
This study investigated the reproducibility of repeated measurements with the Kikuhime pressure sensor under two different types of pressure garments used in the treatment and prevention of scars after burns. Also efficiency of garments was assessed in clinical circumstances by assessing pressure loss and residual pressure after 1 month. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility and repeated measurements with 1-month time lapse were examined on 55 sites in 26 subjects by means of intra-class correlation coefficients and standard error of measurements. ⋯ Concerning different locations, there was a significant difference in pressure loss after 1 month between gloves and sleeves with the largest pressure loss for sleeves. Considering these results we concluded that the Kikuhime pressure sensor provides valid and reliable information and can be used in comparative clinical trials to evaluate pressure garments used in burn scar treatment. Secondly, elastic tricot garments in our study tended to have higher clinical pressures but both types of garments had similar pressure loss over time.
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Hypertrophic scarring remains a major problem for patients who have suffered deep burns. The pathophysiology underlying hypertrophic scar formation may be driven by the biological activity of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta(1)). Decorin is a human proteoglycan that inactivates the effect of TGF-beta(1) and therefore displays a beneficial effect of antifibrosis in various tissues. ⋯ However, there was no significant difference in PIIINP concentration between the decorin-treated group and the control group. These results suggest that decorin has a down-regulatory effect on cell proliferation, TGF-beta(1) production, and collagen synthesis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. Improved understanding of such a regulatory mechanisms may eventually be of therapeutic significance in the control of hypertrophic scarring.
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The objective of this study was to assess whether scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) are biased by injury severity among hospitalized survivors of burn (N=262). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was developed with a general depression factor that loaded on all items and somatic and cognitive factors that were orthogonal to the general factor and to each other. The model fit the data well and substantially better than an alternative three-factor model with correlated factors. ⋯ Analysis of item communalities, however, suggested that only approximately 2% of total predicted item variance was associated with bias related to injury severity. It was concluded that, despite a small amount of bias, the BDI is a reasonably accurate clinical tool even in the context of severe burn. Appropriate adjustments for bias, however, should be made in research with the BDI among patients with acute burn.
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This study examined the role of family environment for young adult burn survivors making the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Ninety-three young adults who sustained large burns as children were asked to describe their families using the Family Environment Scale (FES). When examining the difference between burn survivors and the normative sample of the FES, burn survivors did not perceive their current family environment different than the normative group. ⋯ Increased conflict on the FES was positively associated with YASR total problem score, internalizing behaviors, and externalizing behaviors. In addition, participation in recreational and social activities and organization both inversely correlated with YASR total problem score. In conclusion, increased family conflict was associated with decreased psychological adjustment of burn survivors as measured by the YASR total problem score.