Could We feed the spinal cord injured patients? In this study, we investigate the dietary status of 12 hospitalised patients with spinal cordi njury. The men / woman ratio was 10 / 2. Their mean age was 27 + / -3.7 with a range between 20 and 60 years. Our aim was to investigate how much we were successful in the management of protein rich diet. ın the first three days, we gave the patients. 1.5 g/kg/day protein special protein enriched diet using Harris Benedict formula 8PZÖD group). The patients were not allowed to eat any food besides the ones we gave. In the following three days, the patients ate normal hospital protein enriched meal (PZD group) and they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. Our nurses controlled al patients dishes after meals, and wrote how much of the food were eaten. The portion of the eaten food, which is from hospital meal, called Hospital Food (HY sumgroup) and the one which is brought from ouksidde of the hospital called Outside Food 8EB subgroup). our dietitans calculated the calorie levels in joules, protein levels in grams, and protein, carbohydrate, and fat rations of all groups and subgroups. The mean calorie/kg of the PZÖD group was 28.41/-1.3 cal. with a range of 10 and 40 and the one of the PZD was 32.7 1/-2.1 cal. with a range of 15 and 52. The mean protein consumption of the patiens were 1.17 +/-0.05 gr/kg 8min 0.6 - max. 2) in the PZÖD group, and 1.29 +/-0.08 gr/kg (min 0.37 - max. 2.24) in the PZD group. There were not any significant difference between two groups (p>0.05 t=1.2 and t table= 1.7). Meanwhile the amount of protein at the EB subgroup was 0.5 +/-0.04 g/kgl, and the difference between the PZÖD group and the HY subgroup was significant (t=4.39 t tble: 3.4 p<0.001).
The protein, fat, and carbohydrate ratios were 16.8%, 46.4%, and 36.7% in the PZÖD group; they were 16.1%, 24.7%, and 59.1% in the PZD group. So we could say that the nutrition status of the patients were not as we wanted. We should change our nutrition system in our hospitals. The patients should have options to choose which meals they want to eat. The physicians, the dietitians and the nurses should be very close to the patients demands