Higher serum prealbumin levels are associated with higher graft take and wound healing in adult burn patients: A prospective observational trial.

Autores de IIS La Fe

• Mª Nieves Vanaclocha Saiz

  Autor

• María Dolores Pérez Del Caz

  Autor

Participantes ajenos a IIS La Fe

• Miranda Gómez L
• Vanaclocha Vanaclocha V
• Miranda Alonso FJ

Grupos

• Dermatología y Regeneración Tisular

  

  Leader

  Rafael Botella Estrada

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional support is essential in burn care. There are few studies investigating the effect of nutrition on burn healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perioperative serum prealbumin levels and the probability of autologous skin graft take in burned patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out with burned adults recruited consecutively from April 2019 until September 2021. Serum prealbumin was determined perioperatively. The percentage of graft take was evaluated over the first 5 postoperative dressing changes. Time until full epithelialization (absence of wounds) was also registered. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were recruited, mostly middle-aged people with moderate flame burns. Serum prealbumin levels and graft take had a weak-moderate, nonlinear, statistically significant correlation. They were also an independent predictor of full epithelialization on the fifth dressing change, together with burn depth. Higher perioperative serum prealbumin levels were significantly associated with a reduction in time until full epithelialization. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative serum prealbumin levels are significantly correlated with the probability of split-thickness skin autograft take in burned patients and with a reduced time to achieve complete epithelialization. They were an independent predictor of full graft take.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd and International Society of Burns Injuries. All rights reserved.

Keywords

• Burn; Nutrition; Prealbumin; Skin graft