Metabolic changes in burned patients.

The systemic metabolic and circulatory alterations following thermal injury are directed to support the healing wound. The open wound is an immediate priority of the body; structural and functional components of uninjured tissue undergo breakdown to provide energy, substrate, and micronutrients for the healing wound. Glucose is synthesized by the liver and utilized by granulation tissue. Wound blood flow is elevated and the injured surface is heated to enhance repair. These changes in systemic metabolism and directed by alterations in neurohumoral control; the exact mechanisms ultilized by the wound to initiate these changes are presently not known.