A Clinical Analysis Of Hypoalbuminemia In Severely Burned Patients

ObjectiveTo investigate the nutrition support and serum albumin levels of severely burned patients, and to study the causation of hypoalbuminemia, in order to improve nutrition status of severely burned patients.Methods28 cases of severely burned patients of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Medical College from 2005 to 2006 were collected retrospectively. Methods of nutrition support and levels of serum albumin on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day after burned were recorded and analyzed by statistical analysis.ResultsAll of the 28 patients were complicated with hypoalbuminemia. The levels of serum albumin increased after supplement of early enteral nutrition (EN) combined with parenteral nutrition (PN), but lower than normal all through the three weeks after injured. They were 2.39 ± 0.47 g/dl,2.61±0.48 g/dl,2.76 ± 0.27 g/dl (statistical significance when compared with 3rd day after burned) and 3.16 ± 0.33 g/dl (statistical significance when compared with the 3rd, 7th or 14th day after burned) separately on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day after burned.ConclusionsHypoalbuminemia occurs widely and lasts long in severely burned patients. The main factors contributing to hypoalbuminemia may be the transudation of serum albumin and hypermetabolism after injured. Early enteral nutrition can prevent the hypermetabolism and improve the general nutrition status, and could be as an effective way of nutrition support.