Nutritional Support Team Intervention for Patients with Mandibular Fracture Treated by Intermaxillary Fixation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of nutrition support teams (NSTs) for oral injuries in patients with mandible fracture treated by intermaxillary fixation (IMF). The participants included 25 patients who were treated for mandibular fracture by IMF with NST intervention, who were used as the primary study group, and 25 patients treated without NST intervention, who were used prospectively as a control group. Decrease of body weight of these groups was compared. During the NST intervention, the patients in the study group were encouraged to freely engage in mild exercise. In the primary study group, nutrition sufficiency ratios, body weight, serum markers (albumin Alb, hemoglobin Hb, C-reactive protein CRP), grip strength and body composition parameters (triceps skinfold thickness, mid-arm muscle circumference, body fat, subcutaneous fat, skeletal muscle) were then measured. The study group was then subdivided into two groups based on whether their grip strength increased or decreased during the NST intervention, and the data were compared between sub-groups. The body weight loss (kg and %) of patients with NST intervention was significantly lower than that of patients without NST intervention. In the primary study group, significant decrease of Alb and CRP, and significant increase of energy sufficiency was found. The body weight loss was significantly higher during the NST waiting period than during the weekly NST active period. Furthermore, the body weight loss of patients with increased grip strength was significantly lower than that of patients with decreased grip strength.