A study of the types of acid-base imbalance in different stages post burn

Objective: To study the changes in the types of acid-base imbalance in different stages post burn and analyze the causes and the mechanism of the changes. Method: 153 cases of severe burn were enrolled in this study. The results of blood gas and serum electrolyte analyses were analyzed using a new four-step method. Result: 1. 137 out of the 153 cases had acid-base imbalance and 16 cases had not. 44 out of the 137 cases had simple acid-base imbalance, most of them (23 cases) had respiratory alkalosis. 57 cases had double acid-base imbalance, most of them (23 cases) had respiratory alkalosis mixed with metabolic acidosis. 36 cases had triple acid-base imbalance, most of them (23 cases) had acid-base imbalance mixed with high anionic gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. 2. In shock stage (1 to 3 days post burn), simple acid-base imbalance was commonly seen, and most of the patients (14 cases) had metabolic acidosis. In the edema retrieving stage, (4 to 10 days post burn) and in recovering stages (after 10 days post burn) most of them had respiratory alkalosis (9 cases) and respiratory alkalosis mixed with metabolic alkalosis (5 cases). Conclusion: The types of acid-base imbalance in severe burn patients were most complicated in shock stage. The incidence of respiratory alkalosis was the highest. The incidence of respiratory alkalosis mixed with metabolic acidosis and high anionic gap metabolic acidosis mixed with metabolic acidosis was also high. Among the cases of triple acid-base imbalance, respiratory alkalosis mixed with high anionic gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis was most common.