Impact of thermal injury on liver function test and serum electrolytes: Its role in management

Burn is a wound in which there is coagulative necrosis of the tissue. Various metabolic and biological changes follow burn injury. Thermal injury results in significant pathophysiological changes by interplay of various mediators in early stages. These changes further exacerbate the whole body inflammatory response into vicious cycle of accelerating organ dysfunction. Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the Liver Function Test and Serum Electrolytes in burn patients and its role in management of patient. Materials and Methods: The study was done on 50 burn inpatients and 50 healthy persons taken as controls from Mahabodhi Burns Critical Centre (MBCC), Victoria Hospital attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore. Results: There is strongly significant difference in serum Total bilirubin, Direct Bilirubin, Total protein, Albumin, ALT, Sodium, Chloride between cases and controls ( difference between AST, and potassium ( Conclusion: Liver plays a central role in burn injury and postburn outcome. Restoration of liver function especially albumin helps in better treatment of patients and decrease the mortality. Measurement of serum sodium is not only a means of diagnosing dehydration but it is good guide for estimating and managing ongoing fluid loss. Hyperkalemia should be managed in order to prevent cardiovascular effects. Burn represents devastating injury affecting nearly every organ system and leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Keywords: Burns, Hypoalbuminemia.