Serum elastase and its inhibitors in the blood of heavily burnt patients.

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Abstract
Serum elastase and its inhibitors were determined in the sera of extensively burnt patients. Serum elastase levels were elevated at 2-8 days after a severe burn accident and returned towards normal values from the 10th day on. Both .alpha.1-antitrypsin and .alpha.2-macroglobulin levels were also elevated in the sera of heavily burnt patients. .alpha.1-Antitrypsin showed a parallel evolution to the elastase level but .alpha.2-macroglobulin followed a somewhat different time curve. Plasminogen and antithrombin were not significantly elevated. Serum elastase may play a role in tissue degradation in burnt patients.