# Inflammatory Mechanisms in Post Burn Anemia of Critical Illness

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 2022 · $458,712

## Abstract

Abstract
The anemia of critical illness is (ACI) is a frequent complication in the ICU and in burn patients a primary
determinant of transfusion requirements. Poor medical outcomes have been associated with excessive
transfusion in burn patients and have compelled the move to more conservative transfusion protocols. Even
with the institution of a more conservative approach to transfusion, burn patients still require large quantities of
blood. There are no alternatives to reduce transfusion in victims of severe burn or trauma because
erythropoietin (EPO) and iron supplementation do not effectively promote erythropoiesis in these patients. This
is characteristic of an inflammatory anemia such as ACI that involves iron restriction, reduced erythrocyte
lifespan and impairment of erythropoietic activity. The rationale for this proposal is that development of
therapeutic approaches to treat ACI can only be realized with a more complete understanding of inflammatory
mechanisms that drive ACI. The objective of this proposal is to identify the targetable inflammatory
mechanisms that can be exploited to reduce transfusion requirements in the burn unit and ICU. The central
hypothesis of this proposal is that post burn ACI develops as a result of impaired EPO signaling and iron
restriction that are mediated by G-CSF and IL-6 secretion that is controlled by inflammatory signaling in the
burn wound. We propose test this hypothesis in three aims that if successful will reveal 1) the inflammatory
networks that initiate post burn ACI, 2) the role of the EBI niche in the pathogenesis of post burn ACI, and 3)
the role of iron restriction in the pathogenesis of post burn ACI. Successful completion of the proposed aims
will identify an axis of cytokines, signaling pathways, and cellular responses that can be targeted with approved
or emerging therapeutics to alleviate post burn ACI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10365617
- **Project number:** 1R01HL155579-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **Principal Investigator:** Jason Gardner
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $458,712
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-01-01 → 2026-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10365617

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10365617, Inflammatory Mechanisms in Post Burn Anemia of Critical Illness (1R01HL155579-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10365617. Licensed CC0.

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