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. 2026 Jan 14.
doi: 10.1111/apt.70505. Online ahead of print.

Characterisation and Prognostic Implication of Cholestasis After Burn Injury

Lorenz Semmler  1 , Georg Semmler  2 , Andreas Langa  1 , Sebastian Rihl  1 , Sebastian Hofstetter  2 , Melissa-Patricia Mateas  1 , Kevin Dilmen  1 , Anton Borger  1 , Paul Supper  1 , Patrick Haselwanter  2 , Emina Halilbasic  2 , Christian Zauner  2 , Albert Stättermayer  2 , Gerald Ihra  3 , Christine Radtke  1 , Mathias Anselm Schneeweiss-Gleixner  2 , Michael Trauner  2
Affiliations

Characterisation and Prognostic Implication of Cholestasis After Burn Injury

Lorenz Semmler et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. .

Abstract

Background: Cholestasis is a frequent phenomenon in patients with burn injury and linked with impaired outcomes.

Aims: To explore longitudinal trajectories of cholestasis and validate the proposed definition of burn-associated cholestasis (BAC).

Methods: 532 patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for burn injury over a 10-year timeframe were included in this single-center, retrospective cohort study. Burn severity, ICU treatment, and laboratory parameters were longitudinally collected from admission to discharge or death.

Results: Median total body surface area burned was 15% and 234 patients (44%) had severe burn (≥ 20%). 118 patients (22%) met the proposed criteria of BAC while 41%, 30%, and 68% developed elevated alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and gamma-glutamyl transferase, respectively. BAC was associated with burn severity, ketamine use, mechanical ventilation, and parenteral nutrition, and 85% of cases occurred in patients exposed to ketamine, mechanical ventilation, and parenteral nutrition. Hyperbilirubinemia (≥ 2× upper-limit-of-normal, i.e., BAC subtype B/C) was independently associated with mortality adjusting for burn severity, critical illness severity, and ICU-specific treatment. However, bilirubin alone provided better discrimination, especially regarding excess deaths after ≥ 7 days (Harrel's C: 0.80-0.83). Concordant increases in bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase/gamma-glutamyl transferase allow for early identification of an at-risk population. Developing hyperbilirubinemia until Day 14 identified a subgroup with severely impaired prognosis (survival at 90 days: 46% vs. 95%).

Conclusions: Cholestasis is frequent following burn injury. Prognosis is determined by bilirubin dynamics independently of disease and burn severity. Hyperbilirubinemia is associated with excess mortality ≥ 7 days after surviving burn injury.

Keywords: BAC; bilirubin; burn‐associated cholestasis; critical illness; intensive care; ketamine; severe burn.

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References

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