C3a levels and occurrence of subdermal vascular thrombosis are age-related in deep second-degree burn wounds.

Background: After second-degree burns, thrombosis of the subdermal vascular plexus may occur, necessitating epifascial necrectomy instead of tangential excision to ensure split skin graft healing. Until now, no parameter has been obtained to explain this phenomenon.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with deep second-degree burn wounds were divided into 2 groups. In group 1, patients' age was < 60 years, in group 2, > 60 years. In each patient, 2 microdialysis catheters were introduced into subdermal tissue of deep second-degree thermal wounds immediately after admission. Another 2 catheters were introduced in control tissue. We measured biochemical parameters (lactate, glycerol and glucose) and complement 3a (C3a) until surgery was performed. The surgically removed tissue was examined histologically.

Results: In thermal wounds of both groups, glucose levels fell, but lactate and glycerol levels rose compared to healthy tissue. Within the first 24 hours after trauma, C3a levels were significant higher in both groups, compared with controls (P < .01). After 24 hours the levels in group 1 had fallen to nonsignificant values, while in group 2 these levels remained high until surgery was performed (P < .001). We found significantly more thrombotic blood vessels in deep dermal tissue of group 2 (P < .005). Abbreviated burn severity index score was comparable in both groups.

Conclusions: C3a is continuously elevated in deep second-degree burned wounds in patients > 60 years. This finding may be related to the occurrence of significantly more thrombotic blood vessels in deep dermal tissue of elderly patients. Microdialysis therapy is a useful tool to measure metabolic and immunologic parameters in thermally damaged tissue.