Elderly orthopedic patients: Is nutritional support needed?

Hip fracture in the elderly still remains a common public health problem. It results from a fall nine times out of 10 and occurs in frail elderly patients suffering from sarcopenia, osteoporosis, undernutrition. In orthopedic ward, undernutrition is frequent. Already present at admission time for about one person in two, it may become more severe during hospital stay for many reasons, increasing hospital morbidity. Nutritional assessment and treatment should involve a multidisciplinary and coordinated team. An early nutritional support should be proposed, favoring enteral nutrition. Oral supplements have been shown to reduce postoperative morbidity. Their effects on mortality, functional and social prognostic are still being discussed. More trials based on improved compliance with nutritional treatment are needed before giving definitive conclusions. (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.