OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of malnutrition and to validate a nutritional screening protocol (SP) in patients hospitalised in Hospitals representative of inpatients admitted for acute illnesses in Galicia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 376 randomised patients (189 female, 210 > or =65 y old) from 12 public hospitals admitted to hospital for acute medical, surgical or trauma illnesses. The patients elicited were evaluated by a simple SP, including variables relative to recent weight changes, serum albumin, lymphocytes, food ingestion and diagnosis at admission (Cardona's Protocol), and with a diagnostic protocol (DP, Subjective Global Assessment). Both SP and DP were performed by personnel trained in nutritional evaluation. Results of SP and DP were compared; principal factors related to malnutrition were also analysed; statistical significance was considered at P<0.05. RESULTS: From patients studied, according to DP 169/360 (46.94%), patients presented malnutrition (134 B category and 35C category). SP rate was significantly related to severity of malnutrition detected by DP (P<0.001). The principal factors related to the presence of malnutrition were older age and degree of metabolic stress. CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients admitted for acute illnesses, the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition is high. The risk was related to age and to metabolic stress. The risk of malnutrition in a hospital setting is evaluated appropriately by a simple screening procedure that may contribute to detecting and correcting malnutrition risk.
OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of malnutrition and to validate a nutritional screening protocol (SP) in patients hospitalised in Hospitals representative of inpatients admitted for acute illnesses in Galicia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 376 randomised patients (189 female, 210 > or =65 y old) from 12 public hospitals admitted to hospital for acute medical, surgical or trauma illnesses. The patients elicited were evaluated by a simple SP, including variables relative to recent weight changes, serum albumin, lymphocytes, food ingestion and diagnosis at admission (Cardona's Protocol), and with a diagnostic protocol (DP, Subjective Global Assessment). Both SP and DP were performed by personnel trained in nutritional evaluation. Results of SP and DP were compared; principal factors related to malnutrition were also analysed; statistical significance was considered at P<0.05. RESULTS: From patients studied, according to DP 169/360 (46.94%), patients presented malnutrition (134 B category and 35C category). SP rate was significantly related to severity of malnutrition detected by DP (P<0.001). The principal factors related to the presence of malnutrition were older age and degree of metabolic stress. CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients admitted for acute illnesses, the prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition is high. The risk was related to age and to metabolic stress. The risk of malnutrition in a hospital setting is evaluated appropriately by a simple screening procedure that may contribute to detecting and correcting malnutrition risk.
Authors: R Villar-Taibo; M A Martínez-Olmos; D Bellido-Guerrero; A Calleja-Fernández; R Peinó-García; A Martís-Sueiro; E Camarero-González; V Ríos-Barreiro; P Cao-Sánchez; R Durán-Martínez; M-J Rodríguez-Iglesias; B Rodríguez-Blanco; J Rojo-Valdés Journal: Eur J Clin Nutr Date: 2016-11-30 Impact factor: 4.016