Exploring the microbiome in burn wounds using advanced sequencing techniques

Understanding the Burn Wound Microbiome: Comparing Traditional Wound Cultures to Next Generation Sequencing Technology

This study is trying to see how the germs in burn wounds affect healing and recovery in adults with serious burns.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 400 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 100 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy, immunotherapy
• Locations: 1 site (Galveston, Texas)
• Trial ID: NCT05275335 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This investigation aims to enhance our understanding of the microbiome present in burn wounds and its influence on treatment outcomes and complications. By comparing traditional wound cultures with next-generation sequencing technology, the study seeks to uncover the complex interactions between microbial colonization and wound healing processes. The research will involve adult patients with partial or full thickness burns who are undergoing operative intervention, allowing for the collection of relevant biospecimens. The findings could provide insights into how the microbiome affects infection rates and overall patient prognosis.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are adults aged 18 and older with partial or full thickness burn wounds requiring surgical intervention.

Not a fit: Patients under 18 years of age or those whose burn wounds are limited to the genitalia and perineum may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved treatment strategies for burn patients by tailoring interventions based on microbiome profiles.

How similar studies have performed: While the exploration of the wound microbiome is a growing field, this specific approach using next-generation sequencing in burn wounds is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* All adult patients (18 years of age and greater) admitted to or consulted by the Acute Burn Surgery service with a diagnosis of a partial thickness or full thickness burn wound determined by the Acute Burn Surgery service to be appropriate for operative intervention. We will include patients 18 years of age and older of any gender, race, prior therapy, or pre-existing medical condition. We will also include subjects in special classes, including pregnant women and cognitively impaired persons.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children (less than 18 years of age) will be excluded. Patients who do not undergo operative therapy or patients whose operative therapy does not involve tangential excision of burn wounds will also not be eligible for inclusion by virtue of not being able to provide appropriate biospecimens. Patients whose burn wounds are isolated to the genitalia and perineum will be excluded from the study. For patients who have multiple burn wounds including those to the genitalia and perineum, it should be noted that excised tissues from the genitalia and perineum are not eligible for inclusion to the Burn Wound Data/Bio-Repository. Finally, patients whose operative intervention results in less than a total of 4 grams of discarded tissue will be excluded due to insufficient specimen for proper tissue analysis. Any tissue allocated for pathology or that has already been physically discarded into a trash receptacle will not be eligible for inclusion in the Burn Wound Data/Bio-Repository. We will also exclude prisoners from this study.

Where this trial is running

Galveston, Texas

• University of Texas Medical Branch — Galveston, Texas, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Steven E Wolf, MD — University of Texas
• Study coordinator: Steven E Wolf, MD

Conditions: Microbial Colonization, Burns