The Endocrine Response to Burn Injuries: The Role of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Hormones

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Burn injuries are one of the most common forms of trauma worldwide. Immediately after burn injury, marked emotional and physical responses occur, which are brought about by sudden increases in sympathetic nervous system activity and endogenous stress hormone levels. Hypermetabolism is a hallmark of the stress response to burns, and it is associated with poor clinical outcomes. The role of the endocrine system in this response is complex and important, and almost all hormones take part in it. Although endocrine studies in patients with burns started in the early 1950s, the exact role of the pituitary gland in these alterations is unknown, with the biochemical pathways so far poorly defined. The early recognition of these changes and their treatment can improve clinical outcomes. The aim of this review was to summarize the current knowledge on how the hypothalamic-pituitary hormones respond to thermal injuries.