Objective: 

In this study, it was purposed the investigation of possible changes in serum oxidative stress parameters in burn cases and the comparison with healthy controls.

Methods: 

Forty-one burn patients and thirty-eight healthy subjects were included in the study. Burn cases were selected from patients hospitalized in burn unit for treatment and having second- and third-degree burns. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and PON-1 paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were measured in the fasting serum samples collected from subjects.

Results: 

Body burn percentage of patients were meanly % 13 ± 9 (% 3 – 45). While serum MDA levels and paraoxonase activity of burn cases were increased, the arylesterase activities were shown to be decreased, as compared with healthy subjects. MDA, paraoxonase and arylesterase values in the controls were 8.7 ± 2.7 mM, 106 ± 78 U/mL and 75 ± 20 U/mL, respectively. Those parameters were 9.7 ± 3.6 mM, 114 ± 65 U/mL and 68 ± 21 U/mL in burn cases, respectively. Besides, a significant negative correlation was found between the percentages of body burn and arylesterase activities in patients (p<0.05, r=-0.367). In addition, there was a positive correlation between the burn degree and serum MDA levels of patients (p<0.05, r=0.317).

Conclusions: 

We concluded that there is an association between the degree of burn and MDA level, and between the percentage of burn and arylesterase activity, which means that oxidative stress may be important in the pathogenesis of burn.