| Prime Health |
•Nutritional
Supplements and Vitamins
| Prime Articles |
| Prime Services |
•Free
Newsletter
•Free
Trial Pacts
•Free
Tapes
| Prime Resources |
•Books
•Webmaster
•Small
Business
| Newsletters and Links |
•Related
Links and Newsletters
| Company Info |
•About
•Press
•Jobs
•Mission
•Visitor Agreement
Trace Elements Decrease Pulmonary Infections In Burn Patients |
TRACE ELEMENTS DECREASE PULMONARY INFECTIONS IN BURN PATIENTS
Deficiencies in copper, selenium, and zinc serum concentrations have been described in patients with major burns.
These trace elements are involved in cellular immunity, and decreased T cell proliferation response, natural
killer cell activity, and neutrophil function.
Berger et al evaluated the effects of high-dose trace element supplementation (40.4 µmol Cu, 2.9 µmol Se, and 406 µmol Zn) vs standard dose trace elements (20 µmol Cu, 0.4 µmol Se, and 100 µmol Zn) for 8 days in 20 patients with burns averaging nearly half their body surface area.
The number of infections per patient was significantly lower in the high-dose group vs the standard-dose group (1.9 vs 3.1), primarily due to fewer pulmonary infections, which resulted in decreased use of antibiotics on average (14 vs 21 days) and a shorter length of stay (54 vs 66 days).
Berger MM. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;68:365-71