OBJECTIVETo investigate the status of nutritional support therapy in moderate and severe burn patients.

METHODSThe burn patients with age over 16 y and burn area larger than 20% TBSA were enrolled in the retrospective study. According to length of stay, all patients were divided into the first period (271 cases, was from 1994 to 2001 year), and second period (273 cases, from 2002 to 2007 year), and they were subdivided into a (20% - 30% TBSA), b (31% - 50% TBSA), c (51% - 70% TBSA), d (larger than 70% TBSA) groups. The death rate and ratio of nutritional support therapy were compared. The change in albumin and other indices (including side-effects, complication, etc) were analyzed in each group in second period.

RESULTSThere were similar in general conditions in both groups, however, some were obvious difference in two periods between nutritional support therapy rate (74.17% in first period vs 85.35% in second period, P < 0.01), and the ratio of parenteral nutrition to enteral nutrition (1.5:1.0 in first period, 1.0:1.5 in second period, P < 0.01). There were also significant differences in albumin levels among each group in second period on 4, 7, 14 days after burn (P < 0.05). In the second period, parenteral nutrition preparation was mostly delivered through central vein in the form of "all-in-one", among them 62 cases of positive catheter cultures were found. Enteral nutrition was delivered by oral route in 108 cases, naso-gastric or naso-enteric tubes with pump in 165 cases. 27 cases with severe gastrointestinal complications and 2 cases with inhalation pneumonia occurred.

CONCLUSIONThe ratio of parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition in burn patients was higher in our ward than average level in China. There is still a long way ahead to optimize nutritional therapy.