Local application of low-dose insulin in improving wound healing after deep burn surgery

Abstract

The clinical effects of local application of low‑dose insulin in improving wound healing after deep burn self-skin transplantation surgery were examined. Fifty-eight patients with deep burns were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups. In the blank control group, normal saline was injected to the subcutaneous tissue of wounds; in large dose insulin group, 1.0 µ long-term suspended zinc insulin was locally injected; and in the low-dose insulin group, 0.1 µ long‑term suspended zinc insulin was locally injected. The healing effects were compared. After 7 and 14 days of treatments, wound surface area in the low‑dose group was significantly smaller than in the other groups, and differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); wound healing duration and infection rate for patients in the low‑dose group were significantly lower, class A healing rate was significantly improved, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) in the low-dose group was significantly lower, insulin secretion index (HOMA-β) and the insulin sensitivity index (HOMA-ISI) significantly increased. The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor necrosis factor-α in local tissue for the low-dose group were significantly higher than those in the other two groups. Differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, local application of low‑dose insulin can effectively improve wound healing after deep burn surgeries.