[Malnutrition is an independent risk factor of early complications following percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy].

BACKGROUND: The relationship between malnutrition and complications occuring in hospitalized patients is debated. AIM: To assess prospectively the relationship between nutritional status and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)-related complications and to determine the respective role of malnutrition and confounding variables on clinical outcome.
METHODS: Ninety seven patients were followed up for 30 days after PEG insertion and complications were prospectively recorded. Patients were classified as malnourished when they met one of the following criteria: body mass index<20 kg/m(2) and/or weight loss > 5%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for age, sex, diagnoses, functional status, antibiotic treatment and duration of hospital stay before PEG insertion.
RESULTS: Sixty eight (70.1%) patients were malnourished. A significantly higher number of complications was seen in malnourished than in non malnourished patients (54.4% vs 31%; odds-ratio (OR): 2.65 [CI 95%: 1.06-6.66]; P=0.04). One-month mortality did not significantly differ between malnourished and non malnourished patients. Multivariate analysis showed that malnutrition (OR: 3.15 [1.21-8.24]; P=0.02) and > 10-day hospital stay (OR: 2.77 [1.13-6.82]; P=0.03) were significantly associated with early complications.
CONCLUSION: These data suggest that malnutrition increases the risk of early complications after PEG insertion, independently of the underlying diseases and functional status of the patients.