Acute-phase response to scalding: changes in serum properties and acute-phase protein concentrations.

Abstract

The time course of changes in the concentrations of individual acute-phase proteins (APRs) in the plasma was examined in the model of rats exposed to a single (sublethal) and repeated (fatal) scalding. These data were interrelated with the rate of survival, plasma volume, corticosterone level, and immunosuppressive potency of the serum. The infliction of a sublethal scalding composing 20% body surface area resulted in an initial 50% reduction of the plasma volume and a severalfold increase of the corticosterone level and immunosuppressive activity of the serum. A subsequent normalisation of these deviations proceeded in parallel with an increased rate of APR synthesis. An early infliction of a second scald was fatal. It led to a 60% reduction of the plasma volume, a lack of plasma APRs, and an additional enhancement of the immunosuppressive activity of serum.