NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH VENOUS ULCERATION OF THE LEG - REPORT OF A PILOT-STUDY

Twenty elderly patients who attended the wound-healing research unit f or treatment of a chronic leg ulcer took part in this pilot study. Nut ritional analysis showed the diet to be poor generally, with mean ener gy, zinc and vitamin C intakes falling below the EAR and/or RNI for pe ople of this age-group. Iron intake and quality of protein in the diet also gave cause for concern. While no firm conclusions regarding the impact of nutrition on healing can be drawn from this study, these pre liminary results suggest that this group of patients is at risk nutrit ionally.