Vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide in the acute phase following burns and trauma

VIP and NO co-localized in many of the same neurons, are co-released by some of the same physiological stimuli. In this study we seek the divergent roles in relation to tissue injury between the neurotransmitters within 24 h after burn injury. Forty-four subjects were examined. Fourteen were mechanical trauma patients with mean injury severity score (ISS) of 27, 15 burns patients with mean per cent total burn surface area (%TBSA) of 18%, and 15 healthy controls. Patients plasma were withdrawn immediately on admission (OA) and 24 h post-injury (PI). Controls fasted (>10 h) the night before morning sampling. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique suitable for the measurements of NO and VIP was used. For each comparison between the patients and control groups, NO(2)(-)/NO(3)(-) plasma levels were higher in burn (P<0.001) and trauma (P<0.0005) than controls. VIP was higher in trauma (P<0.05) but not in burns (P=NS). Trauma and human burn injuries are associated with increase levels of NO productions. While VIP rose in trauma, it remained unchanged in burns. The relationship between VIP and NO observed under physiological conditions in thermal and trauma injury may be of importance in wound healing.