# Cardiovascular and thermoregulatory consequences of severe burn injuries

> **NIH NIH R35** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $444,862

## Abstract

Within the United States, 500,000+ individuals are enduring the long-term consequences of severe burn injuries
covering 20% or more of their body surface area, with upwards to 11,000 individuals experiencing such an injury
per year. These burn injuries severely compromise body temperature regulation, owing to permanent
impairments of the primary heat-dissipating mechanisms, namely profoundly blunted skin blood flow and
sweating in the injured skin. Furthermore, well-healed burn survivors exhibit greater all-cause mortality; more
hospitalization days for “circulatory diseases” including heart disease, heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease;
and have elevated incidences of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke. For more than 20
years, the PI has investigated the adverse consequences of severe burn injuries while focusing on two primary
goals: a) providing important information to the burn survivor and their caregivers, targeted at improving the
quality of life for burn survivors, and b) provide research-verified findings directed at reducing the elevated
morbidity and mortality risk in well-healed burn survivors. Consistent with those goals, the objective of this MIRA
application is to extend our discoveries, and associated understanding, of the cardiovascular and
thermoregulatory consequences of a severe burn injury in humans and to pursue avenues to mitigate any such
adverse consequences. Though specific aims are not permitted in MIRA applications, examples of research
directions that could be pursued include quantifying cardiovascular function/dysfunction very early after a severe
burn injury (e.g., within the first ~48 hours post-burn), at discharge from the hospital post-burn, and months after
discharge; assessments of cardiac and renal stress due to physical activity in warm to hot environmental
conditions in well-healed burn survivors while exploring avenues to mitigate any adverse responses; and perhaps
identify the limits that a severe burn injury places on well-healed burn survivors’ thermoregulatory and
cardiovascular capabilities to withstand adverse conditions associated with heat waves while also exploring
approaches to mitigate such adverse responses. These research efforts will provide valuable information that
will culminate in the reduction in otherwise heightened morbidity and mortality burden of burn survivors, along
with associated improvements in cardiometabolic health, a greater ability to work and perform functions of daily
living, improved quality of life, and enhanced independence as they age.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10761494
- **Project number:** 1R35GM152112-01
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** CRAIG G CRANDALL
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $444,862
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-05 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10761494

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10761494, Cardiovascular and thermoregulatory consequences of severe burn injuries (1R35GM152112-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10761494. Licensed CC0.

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