Fibrinogen function after severe burn injury

Publication

Fibrinogen function after severe burn injury

Journal Paper/Review - Nov 23, 2011

Schaden Eva, Hörburger David, Hacker Stefan, Kraincuk Paul, Baron David M, Kozek-Langenecker Sibylle

Citation

Schaden E, Hörburger D, Hacker S, Kraincuk P, Baron D, Kozek-Langenecker S. Fibrinogen function after severe burn injury. Burns 2011; 38:77-82.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

Burns 2011; 38

Publication Date

Nov 23, 2011

Issn Electronic

1879-1409

Pages

77-82

Brief description/objective

BACKGROUND
Evidence regarding hypercoagulability in the first week after burn trauma is growing. This hypercoagulable state may partly be caused by increased fibrinogen levels. Rotational thrombelastometry offers a test which measures functional fibrinogen (FIBTEM(®)). To test the hypothesis that in patients with severe burn injury fibrinogen function changes over time, we simultaneously measured FIBTEM(®) and fibrinogen concentration early after burn trauma.

METHODS
After Ethics Committee approval consecutive patients with severe burn trauma admitted to the burn intensive care unit of the General Hospital of Vienna were included in the study. Blood examinations were done immediately and 12, 24 and 48 h after admission. At each time point fibrinogen level (Clauss) and 4 commercially available ROTEM(®) tests were performed.

RESULTS
20 consecutive patients were included in the study. Fibrinogen level and FIBTEM(®) MCF were within the reference range until 24 h after burn trauma but increased significantly 48 h after trauma. There was a significant correlation between FIBTEM(®) MCF and fibrinogen level (R=0.714, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
The results of this prospective observational clinical study show that fibrinogen function changes early after burn trauma and can be visualized by ROTEM(®) with the fibrinogen-sensitive FIBTEM(®) test.