Serum Zinc as a Prognostic Tool for Wound Healing in Hip Hemiarthroplasty

Malnutrition in patients who had surgery leads to the risk of postoperative complications, especially impaired wound healing. Preoperative serum zinc levels and other nutritional parameters were analyzed to establish criteria that would enable delayed healing to be predicted. A prospective study of 97 patients who had hemiarthroplasty for hip fracture is reported. Univariate analysis established the relationship between serum zinc, nutritional parameters, and other demographic variables with delayed healing. Significant variables were included in a multivariate analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified a significant correlation between impaired wound healing and serum zinc levels. The logistic regression equation for probability of delay was: P = 1/[1 + e^{−(10.88−0.12·Zinc)}]. Serum zinc levels less than 95 μg/dL increased risk of delayed healing 11.76 times. Serum zinc levels were shown to have predictive value for delayed wound healing in patients who had hemiarthroplasty for hip fracture.