PURPOSE: The study tested whether nutritional support of older patients during acute illness leads to a clinical benefit. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomly assigned 445 hospitalized patients aged 65 to 92 years to receive either anormal hospital diet plus 400 mL oral nutritional supplements (223 subjects) or a normal hospital diet plus a placebo (222 subjects) daily for 6 weeks. The composition of the supplement was such as to provide 995 kcal of energy and 100% of the Reference Nutrient Intakes for vitamins and minerals for a healthy older person. Patients had three assessments: at baseline, at 6 weeks, and at 6 months post-randomization. Outcome measures were 6 months of disability, non-elective readmission and length of hospital stay, discharge destination, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Randomization to the supplement group led to a significant improvement in nutritional status. Over 6 months, 65 patients (29%) in the supplements group were readmitted to the hospital compared with 89 patients (40%) in the placebo group (adjusted hazard ratio 0.68 [95% confidence interval 0.49-0.94]). The mean length of hospital stay was 9.4 days in the supplements group compared with 10.1 days in the placebo group. Thirty-two people (14%) died in the supplement group compared with 19 people (9%) in the placebo group at 6 months (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65 [95% confidence interval, 0.93-2.92]). CONCLUSION:Oral nutritional supplementation of acutely ill patients improved nutritional status and led to a statistically significant reduction in the number of non-elective readmissions.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: The study tested whether nutritional support of older patients during acute illness leads to a clinical benefit. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomly assigned 445 hospitalized patients aged 65 to 92 years to receive either a normal hospital diet plus 400 mL oral nutritional supplements (223 subjects) or a normal hospital diet plus a placebo (222 subjects) daily for 6 weeks. The composition of the supplement was such as to provide 995 kcal of energy and 100% of the Reference Nutrient Intakes for vitamins and minerals for a healthy older person. Patients had three assessments: at baseline, at 6 weeks, and at 6 months post-randomization. Outcome measures were 6 months of disability, non-elective readmission and length of hospital stay, discharge destination, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Randomization to the supplement group led to a significant improvement in nutritional status. Over 6 months, 65 patients (29%) in the supplements group were readmitted to the hospital compared with 89 patients (40%) in the placebo group (adjusted hazard ratio 0.68 [95% confidence interval 0.49-0.94]). The mean length of hospital stay was 9.4 days in the supplements group compared with 10.1 days in the placebo group. Thirty-two people (14%) died in the supplement group compared with 19 people (9%) in the placebo group at 6 months (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65 [95% confidence interval, 0.93-2.92]). CONCLUSION: Oral nutritional supplementation of acutely ill patients improved nutritional status and led to a statistically significant reduction in the number of non-elective readmissions.
Authors: K Freijer; I Lenoir-Wijnkoop; C A Russell; M A Koopmanschap; H M Kruizenga; S K Lhachimi; K Norman; M J C Nuijten; J M G A Schols Journal: Eur J Clin Nutr Date: 2015-01-21 Impact factor: 4.016
Authors: Julia Thornton Snider; Anupam B Jena; Mark T Linthicum; Refaat A Hegazi; Jamie S Partridge; Chris LaVallee; Darius N Lakdawalla; Paul E Wischmeyer Journal: Chest Date: 2015-06 Impact factor: 9.410
Authors: Juquan Song; Steven E Wolf; Xiao-Wu Wu; Celeste C Finnerty; David N Herndon; Marc G Jeschke Journal: J Surg Res Date: 2010-04-21 Impact factor: 2.192