Nutrition in burn patient

Abstract

Burn injury continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Nutritional support has become an essential element of burn care. Failure to meet the increased substrate requirements may result in impaired wound healing, multi organ dysfunction, increased susceptibility to infection, and death. Therefore, aggressive nutrition support is essential to ensure adequate burn care, attenuate the hypermetabolic response, optimize wound healing, minimize devastating catabolism, and reduce morbidity and mortality. Failure to adequately address the increased levels of inflammatory mediators, catecholamines, and corticosteroids central to the hypermetabolic response postburn injury can lead to catastrophic results. One of the most important perturbations is provision of adequate and early nutrition. The provision of the right balance of macro and micronutrients, along with additional antioxidants is essential to mitigate the hypermetabolic and hypercatabolic state that results following a burn injury.