Roles of thromboxane and prostacyclin in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory failure in burn patients combined with inhalation injury.

Forty-one severely burned patients were divided into inhalation injury and non-inhalation injury groups. It was found that in the inhalation injury group, TXB2 level and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1 alpha ratio in both plasma and lung tissues were significantly elevated, circulatory platelet aggregate ratio markedly decreased, and blood viscosity greatly increased. Histopathologically, congestion, oedema, haemorrhage and thrombosis were observed in lung tissues taken from patients succumbing to respiratory failure. The changes in TXB2 and TXB2/6 keto-PGF1 alpha ratio accorded with the clinical course of the development of respiratory failure in burn patients with inhalation injury. It is proposed that the imbalance of TXA2/PGI2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of respiratory failure in severely burnt patients complicated with inhalation injury.