Role of Probiotics in the Management of Burns Patients

Burn wound infection delay the grafting, prolongs hospital stay and responsible for septicemia. Burn wound infection is due to immunosuppression in burns patients, colonization of burn wound, translocation of microbes from gastrointestinal tract and over growth of the resistant organism due to prolong use of topical and systemic antibiotics. Objective: To find alternate, effective method to reduce burn wound infection, predictable grafts take and minimize hospital stay. This study investigated 64 patients having deep dermal and full thickness burns during May 2012 to June 2014. Patients of either sex having up to 50% BSA affected having either deep dermal, full thickness burn; expected to need grafting; were enrolled. The treatment group of this study, after taking informed consent, was given probiotics supplementation during entire period of hospitalization. The difference(s) in variables’ of interest between two groups were compared using student t test/ Chi Square test. Results revealed that in the 22 patients received probiotics supplementation (Treatment Group) and 42 considered Control Group. The mean age of treatment group was 28.2 ±SD 10.2 years while for control groups it was 30.2 ±SD 13.80 (p= 0.6004). On admission mean BSA affected for treatment group was 40.2 % ±SD13.80, mfor control it was 38.2%±SD 14.2 (p = 0.5909). The leukocytosis was seen in 68.96% of CBC for control and 67.64% CBC in treatment group. On average for each patients of control group, 9.75% body surface area was grafted as compared to treatment group where it was 10.81% for each patient. The graft loss was 29.26% in control group and 20.14% in treatment group. The mortality was 26% and 22% for control and treatment group respectively. In Conclusion: The use of probiotics does not prevent septic complications in burn patients; however for undiscovered reason(s) graft takes is more predictable.