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Smoke Inhalation Survivors Have Robust Lung Response

New findings from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine surprised researchers who found that patients who die from smoke inhalation had lower inflammatory responses in their lungs than patients who survive.

By Adam Daley | January 13, 2012

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New findings from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine surprised researchers who found that patients who die from smoke inhalation had lower inflammatory responses in their lungs than patients who survive.

Normally, sicker patients tend to have more active inflammatory responses, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in burn victims.

Firefighters try to put out an apartment fire that started from one of the 12 new carport fires set by an arsonist early Monday morning, in West Hollywood, California January 2, 2012.

Photo: Gene Blevins/Reuters
Firefighters try to put out an apartment fire that started from one of the 12 new carport fires set by an arsonist early Monday morning, in West Hollywood, California January 2, 2012. The fires damaged carports in Hollywood, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and West Hollywood areas. Los Angeles police released video on Sunday of a man they would like to question as they investigate an unusual spate of arson attacks that torched dozens of cars in the days leading up to the new year.

Firefighters try to put out an apartment fire that started from one of the 12 new carport fires set by an arsonist early Monday morning, in West Hollywood, California January 2, 2012. The fires damaged carports in Hollywood, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and West Hollywood areas. Los Angeles police released video on Sunday of a man they would like to question as they investigate an unusual spate of arson attacks that torched dozens of cars in the days leading up to the new year. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)

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"Perhaps a better understanding of this early pulmonary immune dysfunction will allow for therapies that further improve outcomes in burn care," wrote Christopher S. Davis, MD, MPH, a research resident in Loyola's Burn & Shock Trauma Institute.

Researchers studied 60 burn patients in Loyola’s Burn Center, and found that those who mounted a robust immune system response were more likely to survive.

Dr. Davis suggests age, genetics, and differences in patients' underlying health conditions may be the cause to a variation in immune response to smoke inhalation.

The study is published in the Journal of Burn Care & Research.

Published by Medicaldaily.com