Pineal function in burns: melatonin is not a marker for general sympathetic activity

• Published in: Journal of pineal research Vol. 2; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Vaughan, G M, Taylor, T J, Pruitt, Jr, B A, Mason, Jr, A D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1985
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Body Temperature; Burns - physiopathology; Cricetinae; Female; Heart Rate; Humans; Hypothalamus - physiopathology; Male; Melatonin - blood; Mesocricetus; Neural Pathways - physiopathology; Pineal Gland - physiopathology; Radioimmunoassay; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiopathology

Burn injury in humans or rats is a model of marked elevation of general sympathetic activity for weeks, manifested in part by increased heart rate, metabolic rate, core temperature, and plasma and urinary catecholamines. Plasma melatonin was sampled at 2-h intervals for 24 h in 9 control subjects an...