[Changes in plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin in burn and its clinical significance]

The plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-EP) contents in 20 healthy volunteers and 30 burned patients (average age: 36 years, average burn area: 38.1% +/- 30.0% of TBSA) were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results showed that there were significant increases of plasma ir-beta-EP in burned patients, which correlated to the extents of the burn areas positively (r = 0.576). Raised ir-beta-EP contents were also observed in the complications of operation, wound infection, septicaemic shock, heart failure and brain edema, which reached as high as 3,000pg/ml before death. The above findings suggested that the determination of plasma beta-EP might be helpful in understanding injury extent and evaluating prognosis.