Effects of L-Carnosine and Its Zinc Complex (Polaprezinc) on Pressure Ulcer Healing

• Published in: Nutrition in clinical practice 2013-10, Vol.28 (5), p.609-616
• Main Authors: Sakae, Kensaku, Agata, Toshihiko, Kamide, Ryoichi, Yanagisawa, Hiroyuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Weight; carnosine; Carnosine - analogs & derivatives; Carnosine - pharmacology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Long-Term Care; Male; Middle Aged; Nursing; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Organometallic Compounds - pharmacology; polaprezinc; pressure ulcer; Pressure Ulcer - drug therapy; Pressure Ulcer - pathology; Wound Healing - drug effects; zinc; Zinc Compounds - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0884-5336; 1941-2452
• DOI: 10.1177/0884533613493333

Background: L-carnosine (CAR) is an endogenous dipeptide. We aimed to determine the effects of CAR and its zinc complex polaprezinc (PLZ) on pressure ulcer healing in institutionalized long-term care patients. Methods: This study was a nonrandomized controlled trial with a maximum 4-week follow-up. Forty-two patients with stage II–IV pressure ulcers for 4 or more weeks were allocated to 1 of 3 groups in order of recruitment: the control group (n = 14) was untreated, the PLZ group (n = 10) orally received 150 mg/d PLZ (containing 116 mg CAR and 34 mg zinc), and the CAR group (n = 18) orally received 116 mg/d CAR. Pressure ulcer severity was measured weekly using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) score. Results: At baseline, no significant differences were found among groups in demographic and nutrition parameters and pressure ulcer characteristics (severity, size, and staging). After 4 weeks, the rate of pressure ulcer healing, assessed by the mean weekly improvement in PUSH score, was significantly greater in the CAR (1.6 ± 0.2, P = .02) and PLZ groups (1.8 ± 0.2, P = .009) than in the control group (0.8 ± 0.2). The difference between the CAR and PLZ groups was not significant (P = .73). Actual dietary intakes over this period did not differ significantly among groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that CAR and PLZ may almost equally accelerate pressure ulcer healing during 4 weeks. The results need confirmation by randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes.