Nutrition therapy for burn patients

ABSTRACT

Severe burns evoke a substantial metabolic response causing physiological derangement leading to a hyper-metabolic state. The hyper-metabolic response is accompanied by severe catabolism and a loss of lean body mass and also by a progressive decline of host defenses that impairs the immunological response. The protective functions of an intact skin are lost, leading to increased risk of infection and protein loss. Therefore, nutritional therapy is a cornerstone of burn care from the early resuscitation phase to the end of rehabilitation. Careful assessment of the nutritional state of the burn patient is also important to reduce infection and recovery time, and improve long-term outcomes. Evidence-based research has shown that nutritional therapy contributes to improved clinical outcomes.