[Clinical and immunological criteria of burn sepsis]

A hundred and twenty-nine victims aged 16 to 60 years who had skin burns in the area of 15 to 60% of the body surface without severe concomitant somatic disease (SAPS less than 9 scores). The clinical symptoms of a systemic inflammatory response (SIR) and the signs of wound infection were recorded in all the examinees. The victims underwent a comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination, 55 of them were immunologically studied over time (on admission, on days 3 and 10). To reveal the predictive clinical and immunological criteria for sepsis, the examinees were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 comprised 33 burnt persons who were observed to have the symptoms of SIR and the signs of burn wound infections without impaired function of organs and systems. Group 2 included 46 victims with severe sepsis and a good outcome of burn disease. Group 3 consisted of 50 patients who had died from severe sepsis. Analysis of the results of the study has indicated that the count of formed blood elements by calculating the leukocytic intoxication index, the estimation of the level of lysosomal cation proteins in the neutrophilic granulocytes, the detection of populations of T helper cells, cytotoxic lymphocytes, as well as histomorphological and bacteriological findings are early and valid criteria for the development of infectious complications. Their use for the diagnosis and prediction of sepsis permits initiation of its treatment at early stages, without awaiting the appearance of the signs of a septic process.