The urinary excretions of iron and chromium by children with burns and scalds

There is a wide variation in the urinary output of chromium by children who have been burned or scalded. It seems possible that when the excretion of chromium is increased this may be related to an increased plasma concentration of glucose which may follow injury, and when the excretion of chromium is reduced this may be related to a low body content of chromium. During the first seven days after injury there is a significant increase in the excretion of iron. Likewise the iron/chromium ratio is also raised over the first seven days. The overall loss of iron during the first twelve days or thereabouts is probably not sufficient to require nutritional supplements over this period.