The beneficial effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in combination with gentamicin on survival after Pseudomonas burn wound infection.

Inadequate granulopoiesis and decreased granulocyte function are thought to play a significant role in the burned victim's susceptibility to infection. In an attempt to determine whether the regulatory granulopoietic growth factor G-CSF could favorably affect survival when used in combination with antibiotics, we examined survival in a murine model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa burn wound infection. One hundred twenty male BDF1 mice received a 15% total body surface area burn and were randomized to one of five treatment groups: (1) burn only, (2) burn + infection, (3) burn + infection + G-CSF, (4) burn + infection + gentamicin, and (5) burn + infection + G-CSF + gentamicin. Infected mice received a 10(3) colony-forming units topical inoculum of Pseudomonas to the wound immediately postburn. Gentamicin animals received 6.0 mg/kg intraperitoneal gentamicin as a single dose immediately postburn. G-CSF was administered as 100 ng twice daily for 7 days. All treatment groups showed improved survival compared with the burn + infection group, which showed 100% mortality by day 9 (p less than 0.001 all groups; Cox-Mantel statistic). Group 5 (burn + infection + G-CSF + gentamicin) exhibited improved survival as compared with either group 3 (burn + infection + G-CSF, p = 0.054) or group 4 (burn + infection + gentamicin, p = 0.007). The use of hematopoietic growth stimulants in combination with antibiotic therapy may result in improved outcome after burn injury, and it suggests new treatment options in the management of postburn infectious complications.