[Mechanism of recombinant human growth hormone accelerating burn wound healing in burn patients]

To investigate the mechanism of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in acceleration of burn wound healing.

Thirty three severe burn patients were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into rhGH group (n = 18) and placebo control group (n = 15). The rhGH was administered subcutaneously in the dose of 0.1 mg . kg(-1) at 10 pm every evening in rhGH group for 14 days, while normal saline was used as a placebo in the control group. The serum concentration of GH and IGF-1 were assayed with ELISA method, and the proliferation index (PI) and S-phase fraction (SPF) of wound tissue was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of PCNA, EGFR and CK was assessed by immunohistochemical stains.

Serum concentrations of GH and IFG-1 increased significantly after rhGH administration. The PI and SPF of wound tissue were obviously higher than those before rhGH administration and those in the control group. The expressions of PCNA, EGFR and CK was enhanced. In addition, the epidermis of healed wound was thicker in rhGH group than that in the control group.

The application of rhGH in burn patients could improve the serum concentration of GH and IFG-1, promote DNA synthesis and PCNA and EFGR expression of epithelium, so that re-epithelialization of the burn wound could be accelerated.