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Prior studies have suggested that nutritional formulas supplemented with arginine, zinc, and antioxidants speed wound healing. In this blinded study, 200 malnourished adults with stage II, III, or IV pressure ulcers were randomized to standard oral nutritional formula or formula enriched with arginine, zinc, and antioxidants. All patients were in long-term care facilities or were receiving home care and also received guideline-based wound care.
At 8 weeks, the mean reduction in pressure ulcer size (the primary endpoint) was significantly greater in the enhanced-formula group than in the control-formula group (61% vs. 45%; P=0.02). A greater proportion of enhanced-formula patients than control-formula patients experienced a ≥40% reduction in …