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Endocrine disruptions in thermal injuries: exploring immune system interactions
Fadi Khalaf1,2,3,4, Stephanie Wojtowicz-Piotrowski3,4,5, Zachary Ricciuti3,4,6
1Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Physiological Reviews
|April 13, 2026
Summary
Severe burn injuries disrupt the endocrine system, causing hypermetabolism and immune suppression. Understanding these hormonal changes is crucial for developing better treatments for burn survivors.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Burn Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Burn injuries cause severe physiological disruption and hypermetabolism.
- The endocrine system is significantly impacted, leading to hormonal imbalances and dysfunction.
- These disruptions contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in burn patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how thermal injury dysregulates endocrine axes.
- To discuss current pharmacological treatments for burn-induced hormonal disruptions.
- To explore the interplay between endocrine and immune systems post-burn.
Main Methods:
- Narrative literature review of endocrine system response to thermal injury.
- Analysis of current pharmacological strategies for managing burn-induced hypermetabolism.
- Examination of endocrine-immune system interactions in burn patients.
Main Results:
- Burn injuries trigger severe, persistent hypermetabolism affecting multiple organ systems.
- Endocrine axes are significantly dysregulated, impacting fluid balance, metabolism, and immune function.
- Immunosuppression is a major challenge in severe burn patients due to endocrine-immune interactions.
Conclusions:
- Effective management of burn-induced hypermetabolism and endocrine disruption is critical.
- Further research, including long-term trials considering age and sex, is needed.
- Improved understanding of endocrine system implications can lead to better treatments for burn survivors.
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