Systemic ubiquitin release after blunt trauma and burns: association with injury severity, posttraumatic complications, and survival.

BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that ubiquitin (Ub) is systemically released after trauma, has pleiotropic effects on host defense mechanisms, and that Ub administration reduces fluid shifts into tissues during inflammation. Ub release after burns (B) has not been studied and its association with injury severity and outcome after blunt trauma (T) is unknown. Thus, we evaluated Ubs association with injury severity and outcomes after B and T. METHODS: Injury severity was assessed with the Injury Severity Score (ISS) in T and burn size (% total body surface area, %TBSA) in B. A total of 129 T (ISS: 26 +/- 13) and 55 B (46% +/- 18% TBSA) were observed for sepsis/multiple organ failure (MOF) and survival. In B, sequential organ failure assessment scores were documented daily. Fifty volunteers served as controls (C) Ub serum levels were measured on day 0 (admission), 1, 3, 5, and 7 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed using bivariate or partial correlation analyses, t test, and analysis of variance with Tukey post-hoc test for multiple comparisons (two-tailed p < 0.05). RESULTS: Ub was significantly elevated in patients. Peak levels (ng/mL) were detectable on day 0 (C: 118 +/- 76; T: 359 +/- 205; B: 573 +/- 331) and increased with increased ISS, %TBSA, and presence of inhalation injury. In T, Ub normalized by day 3, but remained elevated in B. In B, Ub correlated significantly negative with sequential organ failure assessment scores (r: -0.143; p = 0.0147), sepsis/MOF development (r: -0.363; p = 0.001), and survival (r: -0.231; p = 0.009). Compared with B who recovered uneventfully, Ub levels were significantly lower on days 1 to 7 and on days 5/7 in B who developed sepsis/MOF or died, respectively. CONCLUSION: Ub concentrations reflect the extent of tissue damage. Along with Ubs previously described anti- inflammatory properties, this study suggests that its systemic release is protective, that burn patients who develop sepsis/MOF have a relative Ub deficiency and that Ub could play an important role during the physiologic response to burn injury.