Assessment of nutritional status, food intake and serum albumin level in patients with pressure ulcers in Qaem training hospital of Mashhad - Iran.

This study was designed to assess the nutritional status، food intake and hypoalbuminemia in patients with pressure ulcers، admitted to Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad city of Iran. This was a cross-sectional study. Nutritional status of 22 patients with pressure ulcers were assessed using SGA form and their calorie intake calculating according to the amount of enteral and parenteral nutrition''s and the feeding rate and then compared with their calorie requirement determined by the Harris Benedict equation. Data were analyzed trough T-test، One-way ANOVA، Fisher''s test and Pearson''s test. from 22 patients، 40. 9 % had severe malnutrition، 31. 8 % had moderate malnutrition and 62. 8 % had grade 3 of pressure ulcer. The mean of calorie intake، calorie requirement were respectively، 1177±424. 26، 1790. 7±331. 91. 90. 9% of patients had serum albumin level below 3. 4 mg/dl. There was significant difference between serum albumin level of patients with mild and severe malnutrition (P= 0. 03)، there was also a significant positive correlation between serum Alb level and MAC (P=0. 003). most of patients with pressure ulcers have moderate or severe malnutrition and are hypoalbominemic، It is thought that coexistence of wounds and malnutrition، possibly through depletion of lean body mass can be involved in further reduction of serum albumin level. Acknowledgments: This study has no conflict of interest.