Sensory alteration patterns in burned patients

Abstract

Introduction: Burned patients may present with different type and severity of sensory dysfunction. Regenerative mechanisms in the peripheral nervous system are diminished after burn injury and thus unable to accurately regenerate somatosensitive skin receptors. The pattern by which neuronal regeneration occurs to regain this sensitivity in burn patients is still unclear.

Patients and method: This observational retrospective study focuses on determining the patterns of heat, heat-pain, cold, cold-pain, sympathetic skin response and touch following severe burns. Twenty-six burn patients with different type of burns were included in the study. The survey methods used included the Quantitative Sensory Test for termoalgesic measurement, electrical SSR and the Von Frey filaments for quantitative measurements of touch/pressure.

Results: The results showed that patients present with hypoesthesia to heat, cold, and touch in postburn skin areas compared with the contralateral healthy areas. However, in the heat-pain sensation, no hypoesthesia was noted.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that burn patients have a sensitivity dysfunction in postburned skin areas. The use of QST could be considered the technique to determine the sensitivity of burned patients. Although, more high-quality studies should to be done.

Keywords: Burns; Neuropathy; Quantitative sensory test; Scar; Sensory; Von Frey filaments.