The Need for Serial Administration of Vitamin C in Treatment for the Burn Patients

PURPOSE: Burn is one of the oxidative stress generating of oxygen free radicals. It was reported that a vitamin C played an important role in the antioxidant defense mechanism by acting as antioxidants, scavenging oxygen free radicals, collagen synthesis, detoxification of histamine and inhibition of melanin synthesis. Nevertheless there is still no study on the plasma level or the effect of a vitamin C after initial management in major burn patients. Therefore we investigated the need for continuous administration of vitamin C in treatment for the burn patients. METHODS: From March 2013 to May 2013, total 36 patients admitted to the department of rehabilitation medicine of Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital Burn Center were routinely tested for the plasma level of vitamin C as a part of their nutritional screening. We also tested the plasma level of vitamin B6 and B12 with it as the control test. We compared the plasma level of vitamin C with the time between test and burn injury, and with total burn surface area. RESULTS: Of the 36 patients, 34 patients had lower plasma vitamin C level than the normal range. However there were no significant differences depending on the total surface area burned or the time between test and burn injury in their plasma vitamin C level. All patients had normal plasma vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 level. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the continuous administration of vitamin C should be done after thermal injury.

An Motion Analysis of Sit-to-Stand Transfer in Young Children with Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE: Rising from a sitting position is very common, yet essential activity in daily life. The activity to perform the sit-to-stand (STS) transfer is a prerequisite for upright mobility. The children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy have postural asymmetry and unequal development of movement patterns of the two sides, which may influence on STS pattern in these children. This study is aimed to evaluate STS pattern in cerebral palsied children with spastic hemiplegia, in comparison with the normal children. METHOD: Twelve young children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy and 21 normal developed children were recruited as subjects. A motion analysis system using a Motion analyzer (Vicon 370 M.A. with 6 infrared cameras) was used to examine the STS task. The changes in joint angle, moment, and power of each joints in lower limbs, total duration of STS transfer and each transitional points were assessed. RESULTS: Total duration of STS and the first phase duration of forward trunk lean (from T0 to T1) was significantly prolonged in hemiplegic children (2.09 sec; 0.70 sec) in comparison with those of normal control children (1.13 sec; 0.32 sec). Maximal hip extension power and maximal knee extension moment and power were significantly decreased in plegic side (0.53 W/kg; 0.14 Nm/kg; 0.18 W/kg) than in sound side (0.79 W/kg; 0.33 Nm/kg; 0.48 W/kg) of hemiplegic children and normal control children (1.28 W/kg; 0.39 Nm/kg; 0.58 W/kg). Maximal ankle dorsiflexion was significantly increased in the sound side (27.8degrees) of hemiplegic children than in plegic side (22.5degrees) and normal control children (21.9degrees). CONCLUSION: Characteristics through the kinematic and kinetic analysis of STS transfer was identified in spastic hemiplgic cerebral palsied children. Slowness of speed, decreased power generation of knee and hip of plegic side and asymmetric movement of joint angles in these patients were major characteristics which were distinct from normal control children. Slowness of speed of STS was thought to be mainly from prolongation of first phase.