Nursing Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Nursing, including details on health care, hospital staff, professional care.

Nutrition support of the traumatically injured warfighter.

McCarthy MS, Fabling J, Martindale R, Meyer SA

Madigan Army Medical Center, ATTN: MCHJ-CON-NR, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA. mary.mccarthy@amedd.army.mil

Major trauma induces metabolic alterations that contribute to the systemic immune suppression in severely injured patients and increase the risk of infection and posttraumatic organ failure. Nutrition modulation of cellular processes has evolved into a high-priority therapy, backed by substantial scientific evidence. The appropriate selection, timing, and dose of nutrients required for metabolic resuscitation must be individualized and goal directed. Ideally, the nutritional interventions for warfighters will be developed strategically based on the extent of injuries and underlying deficiencies and will be designed to provide the nutrients necessary to balance hypermetabolic processes, heal wounds, and promote optimal recovery.

Published 21 January 2008 in Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am, 20(1): 59-65, vi-vii.
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