Assessment of Serum Interleukin-17 As a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Postburn Scars

Abstract

Background: Postburn scars are defined as abnormal wound healing after burn, which results in disfigurement and psychological stress.  The factors determining the figure and the severity of the upcoming scar after burn are still unclear. But there are many studies  suggesting that inflammation is the initiating step of developing postburn scars. Interleukin17 is an inflammatory factor that has the  ability to promote the T cells activation leading to chronic inflammation. Also, interleukin-17 was proved to increase the skin fibrosis  resulting in delayed wound healing. If we find a strong relation between the severity of postburn scars and the level of serum  interleukin-17, we can target it and suppress the inflammation in the treatment protocol of burn to avoid extensive postburn scars.  

Objective: This study aimed to find a link between serum intrleukin-17 and the severity of the resulted scar following burn injury so when  targeting this cytokine during the early inflammation, we can avoid sever pathological scar later.

Patients and methods: Sixty  patients having scars from burns were collected for the study. The scars were assessed utilizing Vancouver score scale (VSS). A serum  sample was taken from each patient to estimate the serum level of interleukin-17 using ELISA kit.

Results: The study showed a  statistically significant strong positive correlation between the levels of interleukin-17 and the severity of the postburn scars and  confirmed the results of previous studies that serum interleukin-17 is higher in more recent scars.

Conclusion: Interleukin-17 may have a  role as a factor increasing the chance of formation of sever scars after burn and targeting this inflammatory mediator early after burn  may be of great value to avoid the development of sever postburn scar.