MODULATION OF HYPERMETABOLISM IN BURN PATIENTS BY ADMINISTRATION OF PROPRANOLOL IN FIRST TWO WEEKS AND ASSESSING ITS EFFECT BY USING CLINICALAND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS

India being a developing country has a high incidence of thermal burns. Severe burn injury is followed by a state of hypermetabolism, which causes increased cardiac workload and increased resting energy expenditure causing muscle wasting, leading to increased morbidity. The aim of this study is to test the effect of propranolol in modulating the state of hypermetabolism in the acute post burn phase using various clinical and laboratory parameters. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective randomized control study which includes 84 patients of burns with total burn surface area 20-40% conducted at Department of surgery ,SSG Hospital, Baroda over a period of 1.5 year. The patients were divided into test (propanolol) and control groups. Similar burn treatment was continued in both groups and change in the laboratory, and clinical parameters were noted. Results were compared within the groups using paired t-test and in between the groups using unpaired t-test. Result: This study shows a significant reduction of 25% in the heart rate and 26% in the sleeping pulse rate with 2 weeks of propranolol therapy (P < 0.001). There was a 3.33% increase in the weight along with 2.5% increase in mid-arm circumference. There was a 5.7% increase in total serum albumin concentration and C-reactive protein was found to be reduced by 8.2%. Conclusion: The results prove propranolol as an effective modulator of hypermetabolism by counteracting the effect of catecholamine, reducing infection and inflammation hence improving the overall outcome of severe burn patients.