Length of care in patients with severe burns with or without early enteral nutritional support. A retrospective study.

The possible influence of early enteral nutritional support on the length of care was explored retrospectively in 25 patients with burns greater than 20% total body surface area (TBSA). Patients were divided into two groups according to the time of their admission: group 1, from July 1986 to February 1987 (n = 12) and group 2, from July 1987 to January 1988 (n = 13). The only difference in treatment between the two groups was the start of early enteral nutritional support in group 2. Age, percent TBSA burned, surfaces of skin grafts, associated respiratory injury, and medical condition were identical in both groups. The following parameters were compared: lag time between hospital admission and the beginning of nutritional support, energy intake, nitrogen intake during the 4-week postadmission period, and length of care. A regression analysis including all patients was also performed to identify the factors associated with length of care. Lag time was shorter in group 2 than in group 1: 3 +/- 2 days versus 7 +/- 2 days (p less than 0.01). Group 2 received more energy than group 1 during the first 2 weeks after admission: 120 +/- 54 kj/kg/day versus 73 +/- 34 kj/kg/day (p less than 0.05) and 175 +/- 36 kj/kg/day versus 137 +/- 41 kj/kg/day (p less than 0.05) for the first and the second week, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)