Orthopaedics. Malnutrition: the key to pressure sores?

Elderly orthopaedic patients comprise a rapidly expanding population and suffer a high incidence of pressure sores compared to their younger counterparts. Malnutrition is one of the five most commonly cited risk factors for the development of pressure sores. This article briefly discusses the causes and effects of poor nutrition in elderly patients, and focuses on the importance of assessment of nutritional status in this group. Suggestions for the detection of malnutrition in elderly orthopaedic patients are made, with a view to reducing the incidence of pressure sores.