Blister fluid could help diagnose burn severity

Severe burns can leave physical and psychological scars, especially in children. When a burn patient enters the clinic, doctors use factors such as the depth and size of the burn, as well as the time required for skin healing—or re-epithelialization—to determine the best course of treatment. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research have found another, possibly more accurate way to classify burn severity: analyzing proteins in blister fluid.