Which hormone does not increase in burns?
First, I recall that in burn patients, the body has a stress response. The endocrine system reacts by releasing various hormones. Cortisol is definitely up because of the stress. ACTH would increase too since it stimulates cortisol. Then there's the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) because of fluid loss, so aldosterone should be elevated. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) increases to retain water.
Now, which hormone doesn't increase? Let's think about others. Insulin might be suppressed because the body is in a catabolic state. But wait, the question is about hormones that don't increase. Maybe insulin is the answer here. Alternatively, maybe glucagon increases, but the question is about the one that doesn't. Let me confirm. In burns, the body's metabolism shifts to preserve glucose, so insulin secretion is reduced. So insulin would decrease, not increase. Therefore, the correct answer is insulin. The other options like cortisol, aldosterone, ADH, and glucagon would all be elevated. So the hormone that doesn't increase is insulin. The incorrect options would be the ones that do increase. The user needs to know that in burns, the stress response leads to increased cortisol, aldosterone, ADH, and glucagon, but insulin is suppressed. The clinical pearl is that insulin is suppressed in burns due to the catabolic state. That's the key point.
**Core Concept**
Burn injury triggers a systemic stress response, activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and increasing hormones like cortisol, aldosterone, and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Insulin, however, is suppressed due to the catabolic metabolic state.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
In burns, the body shifts to a hypermetabolic state to repair tissue. **Insulin** secretion decreases because the stress response inhibits pancreatic beta-cell function. This promotes lipolysis and gluconeogenesis, providing substrates for energy. Other hormones like cortisol, aldosterone, and ADH rise to manage fluid loss, sodium retention, and blood pressure.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A: Cortisol** β Increases due to ACTH stimulation from the stress response.
**Option B: Aldosterone** β Elevates via RAAS activation to retain sodium and water.
**Option C: ADH (Vasopressin)** β Rises to reduce renal water excretion and maintain intravascular volume.
**Option D: Glucagon** β Increases to promote glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Remember the "5 Cs" of burn metabolism: **C**ortisol, **C**atecholamines, **C**ounterregulatory hormones (glucagon), **Catabolism**, and **C**ellular stress. **Insulin suppression** is a key feature distinguishing the hypermetabolic state of burns from other stress responses.
**Correct Answer: D. Insulin**