Which laboratory value indicates a need to adjust the nutritional program for a burn-injured patient?

Glycosuria, which refers to the presence of glucose in the urine, can indicate that the body is experiencing stress, hyperglycemia, or inadequate insulin response, particularly in burn-injured patients. When a patient sustains burns, their metabolic needs increase significantly due to the stress response, leading to elevated energy expenditure and the potential for abnormal glucose metabolism.

Monitoring glycosuria in a burn patient can help healthcare providers understand whether the insulin secretion is adequate to meet the increased metabolic demands. If glycosuria is present, it may necessitate adjustments in the nutritional program to ensure proper glycemic control and provide adequate calories and carbohydrates to support healing without overwhelming the patient’s metabolic system.

In contrast, while BUN levels, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), and hemoglobin are important markers to monitor a burn-injured patient’s overall health and kidney function, they do not directly indicate the need for modifications in the nutritional program in the same way that glycosuria does. BUN can reflect hydration status or protein metabolism but does not specifically correlate with glucose management. CPK levels may indicate muscle damage but are not related to nutritional requirements, and hemoglobin focuses on oxygen-carrying capacity rather than nutritional assessment. Thus,