Relationship between serum zinc levels/nutrition index parameters and pressure ulcer in hospitalized patients with malnutrition.

We performed a retrospective study of serum zinc levels and blood nutrient indices with malnutrition admitted to our hospital. The association between zinc levels and the onset of pressure ulcer was then investigated. The participants were 243 patients who were not administered zinc supplement as part of the nutrition support team intervention between January 2010 and March 2019. The mean zinc level was 59.7μg/dl, and 66 subjects (27.2%) had pressure ulcers. Signifi cant positive correlations were found between serum zinc level and albumin level, and between serum zinc level and pre-albumin level. The subjects were divided into the following groups according to their serum zinc level: Normal (≥ 80μg/dl), latent zinc defi ciency (60 ≤ Zn < 80μg/dl), and zinc defi ciency (< 60μg/dl). The zinc defi ciency group had signifi cantly lower serum albumin levels and pre-albumin levels. The zinc defi ciency group had no diff erence in the amount of energy intake and protein intake. This suggests that the zinc absorption control mechanism failed for some reason, which makes it diffi cult for the body to maintain zinc homeostasis, and that this may be related to increased excretion of zinc. Our logistic regression analysis designed to search for factors that cause pressure ulcer led to the extraction of serum zinc level and albumin level as independent factors. There is a high possibility that zinc defi ciency and malnutrition are related to the onset of pressure ulcer and increased severity, respectively. We believe that future studies on pressure ulcer treatment should focus on appropriate nutrition management and zinc supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]