[Relation between some cytokines and the severely postburn internal organ injury]

Biological methods were employed to detect postburn changes of serum TNF activity and in vitro IL-1 production of blood monocytes in 24 severely burnt patients. The internal organ function represented by myocardial and hepatic enzymes and some indexes of systemic metabolism were simultaneously determined. The results showed marked increase of TNF activity and evident decrease of in vitro IL-1 production of monocytes, and that their changes were correlated well with those of myocardial and hepatic enzymes in MOF patients. Febrile reaction, hypoproteinemia and increased plasma lactic acid level suggested tissue hypoxia and hypoxemia and increased catabolism. These were more evident in MOF patients. The results indicated that TNF and IL-1 participated in the pathogenesis of MOF.