Many studies demonstrate that being burned has both physical and psychological sequelae that affect quality of life. Further, these effects may be more prevalent in some regions and populations. We sought to access the unbalanced distributions and temporal trends concerning the health burden of thermal burns.
Data were collected from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, and the disability-adjusted life year (DALY)1 was used as a measure of health burden. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between the age-standardized DALY rate and socio-demographic index.2 Joinpoint regression analysis and comparison line charts were all applied to assess the temporal trends of burns.
The age-standardized DALY rate of global thermal burns decreased by 43.7%, from 197 (95% CI: 152-228) per 100,000 in 1990 to 111 (95% CI: 93-129) per 100,000 in 2017. The burden was borne mainly by children 1-4 years of age and people over 80 years. Socio-demographic index was negatively correlated with the age-standardized DALY rate. In low-middle and low socio-demographic index regions, the decreasing trends were slower than other regions with an average annual percentage change of -2.1% (95% CI: -2.2 to -2.0) and -2.1% (95% CI: -2.1 to -2.0), respectively. Among six geographical regions, Africa presented the highest age-standardized DALY rates of 352 (95% CI: 275-410) per 100,000 in 1990 and 208 (95% CI: 175-236) per 100,000 in 2017, and also the slowest average decreasing trend, with an average annual percentage change of -1.9% (95% CI: -2 to -1.8).
The global burden of thermal burns shows a downward trend from 1990 to 2017, and regions with lower socio-demographic index and Africa show greater burdens and smaller downward trends.

Objective: To explore the differential expression of microRNAs in the serum among patients with electrical burn or thermal burn and healthy persons and to explore the significance. Methods: In this study we included three patients with electrical burn and three patients with thermal burn, conforming to the inclusion criteria and hospitalized in our burn ward from June to August 2015, and three healthy adult volunteers. Their serum samples were separated from whole blood and divided into electrical burn group, thermal burn group, and normal control group. Total RNA was extracted from their serum samples using Trizol method. The differentially expressed microRNAs (with differential ratio larger than or equal to 2.000, less than or equal to 0.500) among the three groups were screened by microRNA chip technique. Then cluster and Venn diagram analysis of the differentially expressed microRNAs were performed. Enrichment analysis of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway was performed on the distinctly changed microRNAs (with differential ratio larger than or equal to 5.000, less than or equal to 0.500). Results: There were 220 differentially expressed microRNAs among serum of the three groups. MicroRNA expression profiles in serum of electrical burn and thermal burn groups were different from that in serum of normal control group. Compared with those in serum of normal control group, the expressions of 59 microRNAs changed more than 2.000 times in serum of electrical burn group, with 50 up-regulated microRNAs and 9 down-regulated microRNAs; the expressions of 40 microRNAs changed more than 2.000 times in serum of thermal burn group, with 21 up-regulated microRNAs and 19 down-regulated microRNAs. Compared with those in serum of thermal burn group, the expressions of 167 microRNAs changed more than 2.000 times in serum of electrical burn group. There were 17 exclusively expressed microRNAs in serum of thermal burn group and 26 exclusively expressed microRNAs in serum of electrical burn group, compared with those in serum of normal control group. Enrichment analysis of KEGG signaling pathway showed that compared with those in serum of normal control group, microRNAs which changed distinctly in serum of electrical burn group took part in the insulin secretion signaling pathway, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy signaling pathway, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy signaling pathway, glutamatergic synapse signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, serotonergic synapse signaling pathway, etc, while microRNAs which changed distinctly in serum of thermal burn group took part in the tumor transcription misregulation signaling pathway, proteoglycans in tumor signaling pathway, microRNAs in tumor signaling pathway, long-term potentiation signaling pathway, citrate cycle signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, focal adhesion signaling pathway, endocytosis signaling pathway, insulin secretion signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway, etc. Conclusions: MicroRNA expression profiles in serum of electrical and thermal burn are different from that in serum of healthy adult. The signaling pathways enriched with target genes which are regulated by the differentially expressed microRNAs are related to the pathological changes and clinical manifestations after electrical or thermal burn.
目的： 探讨电烧伤患者、热力烧伤患者和健康人血清中微小RNA的差异表达及其意义。 方法： 选择笔者单位2015年6—8月收治的符合入选标准的电烧伤患者、热力烧伤患者各3例，另选择3名健康成年志愿者，取全血分离血清并分为电烧伤组、热力烧伤组、正常对照组。Trizol法提取血清总RNA，利用微小RNA芯片技术筛选3组间差异表达(差异表达比值大于或等于2.000、小于或等于0.500)的微小RNA，对差异表达的微小RNA进行聚类和韦恩图分析，对差异表达明显的微小RNA(差异表达比值大于或等于5.000、小于或等于0.500)行京都基因和基因组百科全书(KEGG)信号通路功能富集分析。 结果： 3组血清间差异表达微小RNA共220个。电烧伤组和热力烧伤组血清微小RNA表达谱与正常对照组不同。与正常对照组比较，电烧伤组血清有59个差异表达改变倍数大于2.000倍的微小RNA，其中50个表达上调，9个表达下调；热力烧伤组血清有40个差异表达改变倍数大于2.000倍的微小RNA，其中21个表达上调，19个表达下调。与热力烧伤组比较，电烧伤组血清有167个差异表达改变倍数大于2.000倍的微小RNA。与正常对照组比较，热力烧伤组血清特异表达微小RNA 17个，电烧伤组血清特异表达微小RNA 26个。KEGG信号通路功能富集分析显示，与正常对照组比较，电烧伤组血清差异表达明显的微小RNA参与胰岛素分泌信号通路、致心律失常型右心室心肌病信号通路、肥厚型心肌病信号通路、谷氨酸能突触信号通路、钙离子信号通路、环磷酸腺苷信号通路、甘油磷酸酯代谢途径、嘧啶代谢途径、血清素激活突触信号通路等；热力烧伤组血清差异表达明显的微小RNA参与肿瘤转录失调信号通路、肿瘤蛋白聚糖和肿瘤相关微小RNA信号通路、长时程增强效应信号通路、柠檬酸循环信号通路、TNF信号通路、黏着斑信号通路、内吞作用信号通路、胰岛素分泌信号通路、p53信号通路、雌激素信号通路等。 结论： 电烧伤和热力烧伤血清的微小RNA表达谱与健康人血清的不同，其差异表达的微小RNA的靶基因富集的信号通路与电烧伤和热力烧伤伤后病理变化和临床表现相关。.