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Nutrition in Wound Healing

See Also
1. Wound
Background
1. Malnutrition impedes wound healing
  1. Weight loss over 15 to 25% of body weight
  2. Protein depletion
2. Vitamin Deficiency impedes wound healing
  1. Vitamin C Deficiency (Scurvy)
  2. Vitamin A Deficiency
  3. Zinc deficiency
Assess Adequate Dietary Intake
1. Adequate protein intake and calorie intake
2. Adequate fluid intake
Perform nutritional assessment every 3 months
1. Serum Albumin <3.5 grams
2. Lymphocyte Count <1500
3. Low Total Cholesterol (<100 suggests malnutrition)
4. Diminshed oral intake
5. Weight change
Malnourished with continued inadequate intake
1. Consider tube feeding for Positive Nitrogen Balance
2. Calories: 30-35 kcal/kg/day
3. Protein: 1.25-1.50 grams/kg/day
4. Vitamin And Mineral supplementation
Unsupported vitamin supplementation (possible efficacy)
1. Vitamin C 500 mg PO bid
2. Iron Supplementation
3. Zinc supplementation

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.