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BACKGROUND: Various studies indicate that the green tea has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Moreover, a few studies have been carried out that demonstrate beneficial effects of green tea on burned patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, green tea, Vaseline, and silver sulfadiazine dressings were used as first-aid treatment to deep dermal contact burns in rats, compared with a control of nothing. After creating second-degree burn on the dorsum of rats, the treatments were applied for 15 min in four groups. Wound dressing changes were daily. Macroscopic study was performed on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 by using a digital camera and software processing of photos. Microscopic examination was done by pathologic evaluation of skin specimens on day 14. RESULTS: We observed that green tea usage significantly decreased burn size in comparison to the control group (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Green tea is effective on healing process of second degree burn wounds.
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BACKGROUND: Burn injuries are one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity throughout the world and burn patients have higher chances for infection due to their decreased immune resistance. Levamisole, as an immunomodulation agent, stimulates the immune response against infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in Motahari Burn Center, Tehran, Iran. Patients who had second- or third-degree burn with involvement of more than 50% of total body surface area (TBSA) were studied. The levamisole group received levamisole tablet, 100 mg per day. Meantime, both the levamisole and control groups received the standard therapy of the Burn Center, based on a standard protocol. Then, the outcome of the patients was evaluated. RESULTS: 237 patients entered the study. After excluding 42 patients with inhalation injury, electrical and chemical burns, and the patients who died in the first 72 h, 195 patients remained in the study, including 110 patients in the control group and 85 in the treatment group. The mean age of all patients (between 13 to 64 years) was 33.29 ± 11.39 years (Mean ± SD), and it was 33.86 ± 11.45 years in the control group and 32.57 ± 11.32 years in the treatment group. The mean percentage of TBSA burn was 64.50 ± 14.34 and 68.58 ± 14.55 for the levamisole and control groups, respectively, with the range of 50-100% and 50-95% TBSA. The mortality rate was 68 (61.8%) patients in the control group and 50 (58.8%) patients in the treatment group (P = 0.8). CONCLUSION: According to this study, there was no significant relationship between improvement of mortality and levamisole consumption.
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BACKGROUND: This study was done to determine the severity of symptoms of depression in burned patients and to assess the effect of burn related factors on depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional survey, performed in Burn center, Motahhari hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The population of the study included 300 hospitalized patients from April 2010 to May 2011 who were assessed for symptoms of depression one week after burn injury by Beck Depression Inventory-II. RESULTS: Three hundred subjects (50% female and 50% male) participated in the study. Age ranged from 13 to 75 with the mean of 35.06±12.79 years. 184 (61.3%) had symptoms of depression, 58 (19.3%) of them mild, 52 (17.3%) moderate and 74 (24.7%) severe depression symptoms. There was a significant relationship between symptoms of depression and age, gender, educational level, TBSA%, number of burn sites and amputation (p value<0.05). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of symptoms of depression in burned patients suggests that depression should be screened in such patients and treat if indicated.