The purpose of this study is to see if taking an oral nutrition supplement (Ensure Nutrition Shake) before and after lumbar spine surgery affects blood tests related the nutritional status of patients. Patients with poor nutritional statuses who undergo elective lumbar spine surgery are at increased risk for complications and longer hospitalizations.
The study will examine whether a simple and cost-effective perioperative nutritional program will affect blood markers of nutritional status (albumin, pre-albumin, transferrin, electrolytes). All patients 55 years and older who are undergoing lumbar spine surgery at our institution by a single surgeon and meet all inclusion criteria will be added to this study. Patients will be randomized into one of two arms; the interventional group will be provide with daily Ensure protein drinks for two weeks pre-operatively and four weeks post-operatively, while the control group will be instructed to continue their current diet plans. Four weeks post-operatively, blood markers (serum albumin, pre-albumin, transferrin, electrolyes) will be obtained to assess objective differences in nutritional status. N/A
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
Ensure protein is a complete nutritional drink with 10g, 240 calories, and 27 vitamins and minerals. It is often used as a nutritional supplementation in many hospitals.
NYU Langone Health
New York, New York, United States
Difference in blood markers in patients
Nutritional status of patients undergoing lumbar surgery will be measured by their blood markers. T-tests with a p value of 0.05 will be used for these tests. Chi square and t-tests will be used.
Time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks post-operative visit
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