Meeting the caloric requirements of burn patients is an important aspect of patient care. Insufficient nutritional support can decrease immunocompetence and wound healing, whereas an excessive caloric burden can cause liver abnormalities and ventilatory distress. Existing estimates of caloric support can decrease immunocompetence and wound healing, whereas an excessive caloric burden can cause liver abnormalities and ventilatory distress. Existing estimates of caloric support, based on measurement of resting energy expenditure, may not be an accurate reflection of the total, 24 hour caloric requirements, since other aspects of patient care (surgery, dressing changes hydrotherapy for example), as well as voluntary movement, will have additional effects. Total energy expenditure has never been determined throughout the course of recovery from burn injury. The doubly labeled water technique is ideal for use in hospitalized patients since total energy expenditure can be measured by a non-invasive unrestricted method over extended periods of time. The technique involves administration of water, labeled with the stable isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18. Since deuterium is distributed only in body water, whereas oxygen-18 is distributed in water and carbon dioxide, the turnover rates of the two isotopes differ by an amount proportional to the carbon dioxide production rate. From this information total energy expenditure can be calculated. During 7 day intervals throughout the course of recovery from burn in jury we will determine daily resting energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry as well as total energy expenditure by the doubly labeled water method. The data collected will be used to: 1. Examine the relationship between resting and total energy expenditure throughout the course of recovery from burn injury. 2. Derive equations for predicting calorie requirements for nutritional support during recovery from burn injury from either the resting energy expenditure of from clinical observations.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM041089-02
Application #
3299163
Study Section
Nutrition Study Section (NTN)
Project Start
1989-04-01
Project End
1992-03-31
Budget Start
1990-04-01
Budget End
1991-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Medical Br Galveston
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
041367053
City
Galveston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77555